A Little Wake-up Call
by depressedchildren
Summary: After waking up from a horrible dream Sakura's life takes a turn for the...well something? She only hopes it will be good and will end better than her dream suggests her life will. The secret family trade is hers to learn, and in the process she will become a stronger kunoichi. Sometimes all it takes is a little wake up call. Warning: strong language, no pairings decided or planned
1. Chapter 1: Waking up

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Naruto, it belongs to its writers, animators, and producers. I gain nothing but writing and editing experience from writing this.

_**Summary:**_ After waking up from a horrible dream Sakura's life takes a turn for the...well something? She only hopes it will be good and will end better than her dream suggests her life will. The secret family trade is hers to learn, and in the process she will become a stronger kunoichi. Sometimes all it takes is a little wake up call.

**A/N:** So...I've seen a lot of time travel fics but nothing quite like this. I'm not saying it is a time travel fic, and I will tell you all right now, Sakura is not one of my favorite characters; however, my least favorite will forever be reserved to Sasuke. Don't worry, there's no excessive Sakura bashing...I think. Anyways, I'm writing this because I have writers block on my other fics and I'm procrastinating on school work. I have other chapters planned/written but it will be slow updating because this is a side project. I hope you enjoy. ~ with love, depressedchildren

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**Chapter one: **Waking Up

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Sakura sat up in her bed, panting heavily. She wiped her sweaty bangs away from her face and pulled her long hair away from the nape of her neck. She grimaced at the soaked hairs. Her dream was hazy but it left an impression on her. She shut her eyes tightly against the words now echoing in her head.

_Weak._

_Useless._

_A pitiful excuse for a kunoichi._

_Couldn't save her own team, even if she tried._

_Boy-crazy, stupid, foolish, useless whore._

_Sasuke would sooner kill her than fuck her._

_A foolish little girl trying to play ninja. _

_Another Tsunade alright, too afraid of blood to save anyone that really needs saving; probably'll become a drunk too. _

_Not even a serious threat. _

She choked on a sob. What was all of this about?! Where were these voices coming from? At first it sounded like Sasuke-kun, but then it changed. It sounded like the whole world was laughing at her, mocking her, hating her.

And yet… she knew she could be powerful. She could be Tsunade when she was in her prime. She could be powerful and she _could_ save lives…if she would just try.

_You can do it Sakura, I know you can_

That sounded like Naruto, the dead last, but older. For some reason she believed him, and those words gave her the courage to get out of her bed.

"Sakura?" her father asked from the door to her room. She looked over to the closed door, "Is everything alright? Usually you're up by now?"

"I-I'm fine Tousan, I just had a weird dream," she nodded to herself and looked in the mirror. The door creaked open then and through the mirror's reflection, she could see father looking at her grimly. "What is it?"

"What do you mean by weird dream?"

Sakura blinked owlishly. Her father seemed to be taking this very seriously, she fidgeted in place. "It was nothing, just…hazy images, and lots of voices…" He nodded his head gravely and made a beckoning motion with his hand.

"Tousan?" she asked questioningly as she was herded down stairs.

"Sakura, I believe it's time I tell you about my side of the family," he muttered as they came went down the stairs. Sakura's mother looked up from the stove. At her husband's solemn expression she moved to put the kettle on the stove and quickly removed all food from the burners.

"I'll get the tea-leaves and cups," she stated quietly and moved away toward china cabinet in the living room where a set of ornate porcelain tea cups waited patiently for use. Sakura's father nodded grimly.

She frowned, what was this all about? Her parents never talked about her father's family, just that they traveled around, and when he decided to settle down with Sakura's mother his family disowned him. In fact, Haruno was her mother's familial name.

Her father rubbed his face tiredly and looked at her with his brow furrowed.

"Sakura, I come from a long line of fortunetellers. A select few receive premonitions in the form of dreams, and the rest of us learn the art of reading tea-leaves. Our readings are almost always accurate."

"What?" she shook her head slowly, what was her father going on about? Fortunetellers? It was ridiculous! Maybe if it was a bloodline ability, but she was the first ninja on either side in decades—_that_ her parent's never hesitated to talk about.

"What did the voices tell you in your dream?" he ignored her question and went straight to the point. At this moment in time, Sakura's mother returned with the tea set and a box of tea-leaves. There was also a stack of cards beside the tea-set.

Sakura looked away from her father blushing, "Mean things…"

"Sakura," her father chastised and she blushed darker in her shame.

"They said I was a worthless kunoichi, that I was stupid and foolish and-and…they said Sasuke-kun would rather kill me than…" she blushed and shook her head violently. Her father just hummed while the kettle began to whistle and her mother moved to remove the kettle.

"I've often read such in your tea-leaves," she looked up at him sharply, offended and terrified.

"What?"

"Whenever you talked about that Uchiha boy over our evening tea, the leaves read disaster and death…more specifically, your death. I always hoped you'd grow out of it, and I still hope you will."

"I don't believe you!" she shouted, standing up from the table.

"Since you seem to have the family gift, I will train you to read tea-leaves, cards, and your own dreams. You will realize the truth eventually," he swore solemnly.

She sat down numbly into her chair as her father prepared their tea and poured the boiling water into the cups. Her mother had left them alone, but Sakura could hear her moving upstairs. The atmosphere was tense.

"Sakura, describe your dream, leave out no detail," her father's voice broached no disagreement.

She looked down at her hands in her lap and bit her lip as she closed her eyes. "It was all hazy… There were people everywhere with completely black eyes, and there were these white, plant creatures. I-I remember someone…he was glowing gold like he was on fire and yet he wasn't…he had these tear drops around his collar and these other markings. He was saving the world, I now that much…" she furrowed her brow and shook her head as she forced herself to remember.

"There was this other guy too, he had an orange swirling mask but the glowing guy broke it…he was deformed underneath it with two different eyes. One had these concentric rings while the other looked like a sharingan. There was this silver haired guy wearing a mask on the lower half of his face. He had a matching sharingan eye and he looked really pissed off, like he recognized the masked guy.

"Then the masked guy, he…he had his hand through my stomach and my hands were glowing green, like a medic ninja, but I-I know I was dying…" Sakura shook her head sharply. Her father hummed and nodded his head gravely.

He set one of the cups in front of her. "Musume," her father called and she looked up, still disturbed by her hazy dream. "As you drink your tea, keep in mind one topic or question. I will do the same."

She nodded and bit her lip as she looked down at the steaming cup. She had so many questions, so many thoughts whirling around in her head; she had no idea where to start! Was her dream truly a premonition as her father believed, would she be a weak kunoichi like the voices told her? She shook her head; she had a topic in mind, the people with the black eyes. They disturbed her as much as the rest, but so many people looked horrified and hurt that they had to fight them. Yes, she'd wonder about them as she drank her tea.

Her father was already calmly sipping at the tea and she quickly joined them. She almost gagged, it was bitter and had a strange aftertaste but she continued to drink until the leaves settled at the bottom in clumps. She handed the cup over to her father.

The moment he looked down he did a double take and frowned. He moved the around before setting the cup down. "What is it, Tousan?"

"Troubling to say the least. What did you question?"

"The people with the black eyes, I wondered what they were."

Her father frowned and hummed, "The leaves are confusing. It looks like death mixed with life, and yet…" he shook his head, "I'm truly not sure what to make of it."

"What do your leaves say? What did you wonder?"

"I wondered if the end of your dream would come true and it seems it will…death, violent death, was in my cup," Sakura swallowed thickly and looked down at the cup in her father's hands. She could see the shape of the leaves and they did sort of look like her cup and all her cups when she thought about Sasuke.

Should she believe all of this? Was it all a bunch of lies? Her father got up and began to wash the teacups. Her mother came back down and finished cooking breakfast. Sakura blinked when it was set down in front of her.

Her mother smiled weakly, "Go on my brave kunoichi of Konoha, eat up. You'll be meeting your team today." Sakura blinked before her eyes rolled backwards in her head.

It was hazy, like the dream she had had earlier but she found herself racing neck and neck with Ino-pig toward the Academy. She burst into the room declaring she made it first at the same time Ino-pig did. Then she was arguing over the seat next to Sasuke-kun. The sound was all distorted and she only received a vague idea of what was happening, like in most dreams. To her immense shock, she saw Naruto end up kissing Sasuke and then the announcement of teams… Iruka-sensei's voice was low and strangely distorted as he announced Team 7 as Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke under Hatake Kakashi.

She snapped too, her mother was waving a smelling salt under her nose while her father looked strangely pleased. "The tea took longer to kick in than I expected but it's true then, you are one of the select few."

"Wh-what?" Sakura asked as she held her head and was helped back into her chair.

"You had a premonition, musume. The tea helps those with the gift to access it." Sakura flushed, she wouldn't believe it until that last "vision" came true. "You first premonition was very clear even if it made little sense, unfortunately the premonitions won't always come so clearly. I will teach you to read what you see."

In an attempt to block out what her father was saying, she looked over at the clock and gasped. She quickly inhaled her breakfast before hurrying out of the house. She shouted a quick goodbye as she did so. She was going to be late at to team assignments at this rate. To her amazement and horror, Ino was just running past her house when she came out. Sakura matched her speed, even though she was trying to go as fast as she could.

They ended up arriving at the Academy at the same time. Ino-pig shouted that she got there before Sakura, but in Sakura's shock she couldn't retaliate. It was so strange, it was just like her last vision. She hurried over toward Sasuke and Naruto with Ino-pig gawking at her – perhaps it was because she hadn't risen up to her bait? Sakura just stared at them. In her "premonition" the unthinkable had happened.

"Naruto get away from Sasuke-kun!" Ino growled out now that she was caught up with Sakura. "I'm going to sit by him!"

Without thinking Sakura blurted out, "Fat chance Ino-pig!"

Then Naruto moved to crouch in front of Sasuke, just like her vision, "Naruto, don't do that!" she called which only made the blonde narrow his gaze more…then, like a slow moving disaster she watched as the boy sitting in front of Sasuke moved and consequently knocked Naruto into Sasuke. She screamed, long before the rest of Sasuke's fan-club realized what exactly happened.

There was no way she could have predicted that through logic or coincidence…her vision…oh gods. She sat down heavily in the nearest seat while Naruto was pummeled near death by the rest of the Sasuke fan-club.

Sakura watched in a daze as Iruka-sensei entered at ordered them all to sit down. Ino was sitting next to her, which was different than in the dream, but then again, in her dream she had fought to get the seat next to Sasuke. As Iruka-sensei gave his speech about their responsibilities as ninja and began calling the teams, Sakura's dread grew.

It was all true then…she really had a premonition. The man with the swirl mask killed her. All her father's tea-leaves about Sasuke said he'd kill her. Those people with the black eyes, they were dead and yet not.

Sakura was forced from her thoughts by Ino-pig screaming in her ear and trying to throttle her. "How can you have Sasuke-kun on your team? I'm a way better kunoichi than you! _I'm _from a clan!"

Sakura shook her head and focused back on Ino-pig, had they already announced her team, what had Iruka-sensei said? She looked over at the Uchiha who was astutely glaring at the front wall as he ignored everyone. An image flashed before her eyes…There was snow everywhere, a spinning eye that was bleeding, and electricity in a pale hand that was coming closer and closer to her heart. _Sasuke_ her mind supplied _He's going to kill you_.

She looked forward and ignored Ino-pig who was too busy yelling at her to notice her odd behavior. Sakura closed her eyes tightly and shook her head. Why was this happening now of all times? Before she knew it they were dismissed for lunch. She just stayed in her seat, her eyes tightly closed. This ruined everything! She'd have to reevaluate her whole life!

"Neh, Sakura-chan?!" Naruto came over to her and for a moment, superimposed on the blonde was the image of the glowing man. She gasped. "Eh, Sakura-chan? You okay?" he asked nervously.

"I-I'm sorry Naruto," she blinked and hesitantly added, "-san" to the end. She was done insulting him. If he was really the glowing man…she gave a hesitant smile and stood up, "I have to go see my parents," the boy frowned and scuffed his foot, "You're on my team right?"

"You better believe it, we'll be the best team ever!" Sakura's smile faltered and a voice whispered _Are you so sure?_ The brief image of Sasuke charging at her, intent on killing her, came back to mind. She shuddered and shook her head.

"Sakura-chan, are you cold, do you need a jacket?" the boy asked quickly and began to unzip the orange monstrosity he wore.

"Ah… no…Naruto-san," the boy frowned and shifted uncomfortably, "How about you walk me to my home though?" the boy instantly cheered up and made a fist pump.

As they began walking he gave her nervous glances and fidgeted around, "Neh, Sakura-chan, why are you calling me –san now?" she looked over at him in surprise before she gave a grimace like smile. She had been focusing on the fact that her premonitions and tealeaves implied disaster when it came to her long time crush. What was she supposed to do?!

"W-well we'll be on the same team, we should act professional with one another, right? No more Sasuke-kun, no more Naruto-baka, and _no_ more Sakura-chan, alright?"

The boy furrowed his brow and kicked a pebble across the street. He had his hands shoved in his pocket, "But we'll be a team, we're gonna get close, why use –san?"

"Well maybe we could come up with nicknames with time, but we should be as professional as we can be until we get that level of trust, right?" she asked and gave her best attempt at a smile. She was still disturbed from the day's revelations. "And we'll get strong, the both of us!" she stated determinedly.

Naruto began to laugh, "You better believe it!" he exclaimed. _We can be the next Sannin _an older Naruto murmured in her mind. She couldn't stop herself from smiling at that.

"Maybe we'll be the next Sannin," she murmured and Naruto looked over at her with wide eyes.

"Really, you think we can be as great as the Sannin," the boy paused and his smile fell, "Or is it just because of Sasuke-teme?"

Sakura blinked and turned to Naruto, "Sasuke-san," she corrected, "And no, not just because Sasuke-san is on our team…." She bit her lip; it felt strange to say that but at the same time it felt right. They were almost at her house so she turned to face Naruto fully. "I bet someday you'll be very powerful," _like the Rikud__ō__ Senin. _ She blinked at the voice which whispered this.

He was frozen in place and looked at her with the widest eyes she had ever seen. She nodded her head and waved goodbye as she tried to ignore how shocked Naruto looked. She had a strong feeling Naruto was going to start crying if she stayed any longer. The boy just nodded in return before he turned on his heel and hurried off. She smiled slightly to herself as she opened the door to her house. That felt like the right thing to do.

"Tousan?" she called as she entered her house. Her father showed up and waved at her. He had his glasses on so he was probably working on a design; he was a local architect and often worked from home while Sakura's mother ran a shop with her family.

"I believe you now," she stated, "and I want to learn," her father grinned broadly and motioned her to walk with him.

"Very well, musume, we will begin with tealeaves and work our way up. When do you need to be back at the Academy?"

"An hour" _Better make that four_ a voice whispered amusedly, "eh…well maybe four?" she shook her head and laughed.

"Did someone whisper that?" her father asked with a knowing smile, "You grandmother often had voices whisper future events to her," he winked and they both shared a laugh together.

"You bet, Tousan." He ruffled her hair as they made their way to his study.

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**A/N:** I know nothing about tea reading, so I'm sorry if I offended anyone. I sometimes do tarot readings and get how that works so I used a similar theme. Also, no, this is not a bloodline! Though this shouldn't be too strange since they have the prophesying great toad sage in the series... As Sakura's dad says, her premonitions and visions will become less vivid and clear, so no, this is not meant to be broken. Sakura just needs a lot to happen to her so she isn't a pathetic, whinny cheerleader on team 7, which she was in the beginning. I also need names for her parents, any suggestions? I'll try to look up names that imply soothsaying for her dad. Hope you enjoyed. ~ with love, dedpressedchildren.


	2. Chapter 2: Building Resolve

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Naruto, it belongs to its writers, animators, and producers. I gain nothing but writing and editing experience from writing this.

_**Summary:**_ After waking up from a horrible dream Sakura's life takes a turn for the...well something? She only hopes it will be good and will end better than her dream suggests her life will. The secret family trade is hers to learn, and in the process she will become a stronger kunoichi. Sometimes all it takes is a little wake up call.

**A/N: **So I'm updating! I have two more chapters written out, but I probably won't update for a while. I really have been procrastinating a lot. Anyways, with this fanfic I'm trying to make chapters a single chunk of text-meaning, there shouldn't be any page breaks, though the scene will change. That's my personal challenge for this fanfic. Hope you enjoy ~ with love, depressedchildren

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**Chapter 2: **Building Resolve.

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Sakura hurried off toward the Academy. She had been going over tealeaves with the father for hours, debating the different meanings behind each clump and where they stuck inside of the cup. She had always been called book smart, and so she had memorized most of the formations in the three and a half hours she was in her father's study.

She remembered what her father had said as he saw her off, _"Have your team come over for dinner, we'll read their leaves!"_ she chuckled and made it to the room her teammates were undoubtedly waiting for her in.

Or at least she would have if not for a Jounin blocking her way. He glanced over at her; one lazy eye looked her up and down. She recognized him from her first premonition and gasped. Her eyes shifted over to his covered eye. There was some type of sharingan under there, and it matched the masked man's sharingan. Maybe he got the eye from the masked man? Then again, all sharingans looked the same, right? Though neither of the men in her premonition had what she knew sharingans to look like, and then there was premonition Sasuke with his strange bleeding sharingan… Was there another level to the sharingan that looked different from the normal one? She shook her head and smiled weakly.

"You must be Hatake-sensei?" she greeted. He nodded, but his visible eye narrowed slightly.

"And you must be Haruno-san. Why aren't you with your teammates?"

"I was helping my father and lost track of time," she smiled through her partial lie and the Jounin just hummed.

"Well, let's collect the rest of your team," he muttered and slid open the door to the classroom. An eraser fell on his head and Sakura could hear Naruto laughing inside the room.

"He fell for it! He actually fell for it!" she rolled her eyes but smiled slightly.

The Jounin paused and likely stared at the room's occupants, "My first impression is… I hate you." Sakura grimaced in the hallway, "Meet me on the roof," he drawled and began to go through hand signs.

"But what about" the man already vanished in a flicker of leaves and smoke, but Naruto continued to speak in a slightly dejected manner "Sakura-ch-san?" the blonde caught himself from saying –chan.

"Who cares? If she misses our meeting, it's her own fault," Sasuke hissed. Sakura flinched before hurrying up the stairs toward the rooftop exit. She refused to cry, she refused! Why should she care what some hunky—No! Bad Sakura! He's not hunky or dreamy or mysterious, he's….he's deranged, homicidal!—Uchiha thought? She was the first on the roof, naturally, and sat down as she wiped at her eyes.

"Sakura-cha-san! You're here! Are you psychic!?" Naruto asked loudly as he sat down beside her. If he had a tail he'd probably be wagging it.

Sakura couldn't keep from laughing at the ironic truth of his question. She smiled broadly and winked, "You bet I am!" Naruto fell over and in shock and stared at her with his mouth open.

"S-so you know if I become Hokage then?"

Sakura hummed and tilted her head to the side, "I don't know but I already told you, you'd become powerful, right?" she teased and began laughing a little. Naruto flushed bright red and looked down at his feet.

Sasuke scoffed and she turned to glare at him, "Shut up," she whispered and turned to look to her sensei. Sasuke was likely looking at her in shock. Well….good, she was through being a fan-girl to some crazy jerk.

"Hatake-sensei, why are we up here?" she asked with her arms folded over her chest.

"Team introductions," he stated curtly. He was looking at his students with a calculating eye before he gave them an eye-smile and pulled out an orange book from his vest, "Firstly, I prefer to go by Kakashi, so it's Kakashi-sensei to all of you," they nodded and he continued. "Now Psychic, introduce yourself."

She glared at him, mostly because of the inappropriate book in his hands, "What are we supposed to say _Hatake_-sesnei, why don't you introduce yourself first?" He glared at her over his book, though perhaps she imagined it, before he gave another eye-smile.

"I thought you were a psychic, oh well," he teased. "My name is Hatake Kakashi. My hobbies and interests are my own, as are my dislikes. As for my dreams, well… that's for me to know," Sakura knew she was not the only one glaring at him.

"So we only learn your name!?" Naruto exclaimed with his arms folded over his chest. Kakashi-sensei just eye-smiled again and nodded cheerfully.

Sakura sighed, "Fine then… My name is Haruno Sakura. My likes…" she paused, what were her likes? Until today she would have said Sasuke, but now she wasn't so sure, "My likes are…" she frowned, what were her likes? "Flower arranging, I guess?" did so much of her life really circle around Sasuke? She shook her head, "and I like having tea with my father," she decided that would do.

"My hobbies are…training, I guess?" she chewed her lip in thought. Normally it was stalking Sasuke but… she shook her head, "and my dislikes are…..are…" she frowned. Before today she'd have said Naruto. "Well I'm not sure. And my goal?" She thought back to her premonition and her eyes became hard. "My goal is to be a strong kunoichi who can save people, who will survive through and help end wars." She nodded her head firmly.

Sasuke looked at her with a raised eyebrow and Naruto looked at her amazed. Kakashi just hummed and gestured for Naruto to introduce himself, "You next, Blondie."

"Well, my name is Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo! I like ramen, especially Ichikaru's ramen. I hate the three minutes you have to wait for instant ramen. My hobbies include eating different flavors of ramen and training. My dream is to become the greatest Hokage of all time!" he cheered, "Dattebayo!"

Sakura found herself smiling instead of feeling annoyed. She believed he could do it, he could become a Hokage. Kakashi looked interested, though perhaps that was a trick of light, "Alright Broody, you go," he gestured for Sasuke to begin.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I don't particularly like anything and I hate many things. My hobbies are training, and my dream, no ambition, is to kill a certain man."

Part of Sakura wanted to swoon at his mysterious broodiness, but another part of her was disturbed. She found this attractive?! Perhaps the image of him trying to skewer her with lightning was distorting her perception of him.

"Dream and ambition are synonyms," she blurted out and Naruto burst out laughing.

"Ah-haha, Sakura-chan's right!" Sakura sighed and flicked Naruto in the head with her index finger while she ignored Sasuke's glare.

"-san, Naruto-san, at least until we gain some trust, remember," Naruto looked thoroughly chastised and looked down at the ground.

"Well, if you don't pass the test tomorrow you won't have to worry about gaining trust," Kakashi stated cheerfully with an eye smile. All of them turned to stare at Kakashi with wide eyes. They were all speechless. "You see," Kakashi began, "the exams you passed just weeded out those who had no potential. The real genin test is tomorrow and only 60% usually pass. Be at training ground 7 at sunrise. Oh! and don't eat breakfast, you might throw it up."

He then vanished in s swirl of leaves. The three of them just stared after their sensei. A test?! They had another test.

"I thought you were psychic," Sasuke mocked as he began to leave the roof. Naruto stood up glaring.

"Shut up Sasuke-te-san!" Naruto grumbled and sat back down with his arms folded over his chest. Sakura chewed her lip in thought.

"Neh….Naruto-san, do you want to make plans for the test?" she asked, she knew Sasuke was already long gone.

"Huh?!" Naruto turned to look at her in shock. "You know what the test is gonna be?"

Sakura shook her head, "No but that doesn't mean we can't plan for things, it might be good anyway…"

"But won't we need Sasuke-te-san?"

Sakura laughed weakly and blushed, "Not really, I do kind of know most of his moves," it was from her stalking him all the time; she had actually gotten really good at it, so he didn't spot her and she got to see his advance techniques.

"Uh, okay then Sakura-san," he cheered and hopped onto his feet, "Where do you want to go?"

"My parents can make us dinner and we can talk it over," she stated and got up as well.

Naruto's eyes got all wide but then he began to frown, "Ar-are you sure about that Sakura-san? Most adults hate me." Sakura frowned but slowly nodded her head.

"I'll make sure they don't, okay Naruto-san." He blushed and nodded his head as they began to make their way toward her house once more.

"Neh, Sakura-san, do you have any ideas of what our test's gonna be?" She shrugged and bit her lip.

"I don't know Naruto-san, but it has to be different from the Academy, we're in teams now so…so maybe it's a team test?" she scrunched up her face and shook her head, that seemed silly, right?

_Those who abandon the mission are trash but those who abandon their friends are lower than trash. _ Who was that, the voice was unclear, it sounded like many voices actually: Kakashi-sensei, Naruto…and someone else.

But that was it! That had to be it! "Naruto-san, what's Konoha known for?"

"Uh…fire jutsu?" she looked at him with a deadpan look, he blushed and rubbed the back of his head, "I dunno, the Will of Fire?"

"Well, yes but there's more. Think of the Sannin, I mentioned them earlier today."

The blonde's eyes widened and he started to jump up and down, "Teamwork! Konoha's won wars through teamwork! So it's testing that we can work in a team together, and only as a _team_ can we pass!" Naruto cheered and continued jumping up and down in excitement. "We gotta tell Sasuke-te-san!"

Naruto began to pull on her arm but she didn't follow after him. He turned around to look at her in confusion. If there was one thing she knew about Sasuke after all the time she stalked him, he hated working with others. He always had to prove himself to be the strongest or best, and always it had to be on his own. Before she thought that was dreamy but now—now when things were put into perspective—she couldn't help but frown.

"I don't think Sasuke-san will agree, no matter how hard we try to convince him…" Naruto was frowning now and mumbling about a stubborn, big-head Uchiha, she had to agree with him. "But we can plan around him, incorporate him without his knowing."

Naruto looked up at her with wide eyes before a mischievous smile came across his face. He rubbed his hands together, "Okay, I know how he acts most of the time and you know his moves, we can do this, dattebayo!" he cheered again with his fist raised up in the air. Sakura chuckled and they continued on their way toward her home.

"So we know it's about teamwork, but what else?" Naruto asked.

"Well, it could be anything, anything from placing the team above mission objectives or finding a way to complete the mission objective as a team…" Sakura sighed and rubbed her face tiredly. What she wouldn't give for a premonition right about now, but that kind of felt like cheating. In fact, the voice from before made her feel like she was cheating, but then again, she had been on the right track…

She smiled grimly, "Maybe we should plan for as many cases as we can?"

"Eh, if you think that will help us Sakura-san," Naruto rubbed his head nervously, "I'll do my best to follow any plans you make."

"Any plans _we_ make," she emphasized which made the blonde smile and laugh a little as they approached Sakura's house.

"Okay, but I improvise a lot," he grimaced, as if expecting chastisement.

"That's okay Naruto-san, we can't plan everything out. As long as we have a general idea of what to do, then we should be good, right?" the blonde cheered up and nodded his head energetically.

At this point they made it to Sakura's house. Naruto was tense behind her and he had his shoulders drawn up to his head. "I'm home!" she called as she entered the house and began to take off her shoes, "and I brought one of my teammates," she announced as her mother came out from the kitchen. She immediately began to frown when she noticed the blonde boy.

Naruto had already taken off his shoes and he was now fidgeting nervously behind Sakura. "Um, hello Haruno-san, I'm Uzumaki Naruto," he greeted as cheerfully as he could before bowing in greeting. Sakura's mother hummed and walked back into the kitchen.

Sakura's father came out from his study at this point and was frowning. "Why don't we have tea while your mother finishes cooking," he stated and Sakura's eyes widened in delight and understanding.

"Of course! I'll prepare it," she hurried into the kitchen to see her mother had already set the kettle on the stove. Sakura shrugged and retrieved the teacups from the cupboard—not the special ones in the china cabinet, of course—and grabbed a box of tealeaves.

She brought all materials to the table where Naruto was left fidgeting as her father stared at him. She gave her dad a deadpanned look while shaking her head. She couldn't outright say she believed Naruto would become the glowing man from her premonition; it would raise too many questions. It was just fine to jokingly admit to being psychic than actually revealing she was. There had to be a reason her father was so hush-hush about it, and a reason for why her mother had left the room. Sakura could make a vague guess as to why. In a ninja village, having foreknowledge was a powerful and deadly thing. She shuddered as she put the tealeaves into cups.

"Neh, Sakura-san?" Naruto asked as he fidgeted in place, "You drink loose-leaf tea? How do you do that?"

Sakura chuckled and shook her head. Her father had a slight smile on his face, clearly amused.

"What?" the blonde asked innocently as he tilted his head to the side.

"Nothing, Naruto-san, just don't drink the leaves," she stated smiling, "and it's okay to leave a little tea at the bottom of the cup."

Naruto nodded to himself. Soon the kettle was whistling and Sakura retrieved it from her mother before she began to pour the boiling water. "There we go," she handed him his cup and he accepted it before blowing on it. He fidgeted again, likely he wanted to take it with something but that ruined the reading. "So…should we start making contingencies?"

"Continga-what?" Naruto asked as he scratched his head and took a tentative sip. He seemed pleased with the tea because he quickly drank some more.

"Uh, well, contingencies are plans you make for possible events," her father looked amused as she explained what the word meant, but he also looked worried, likely he was afraid she was left with an incompetent team member and it would get her killed.

"So we could make a plan of attack in case we came across, um…" Sakura trailed off as she tried to think what possible things they could run into.

"A missing-nin!" Naruto suggested, his eyes alight with understand, "Or if-if like a mission got upgraded or something? Right? Do I got it right, Sakura-ch-san?"

Sakura couldn't stop from chuckling at the endearing earnestness exuding off the boy, "Yeah, like that, but we'd modify it for what the exam could be. There's nothing like being prepared, right?"

Naruto furrowed his brow in confusion before he began to nod, "Yeah, yeah, I guess you're right. My pranks are best when I've prepared the most, 'tebayo."

Sakura found a place where she could really drive home what they'd be doing, "Exactly, think of this like a big prank. You have to be prepared for them right, and you have to anticipate what you're target's going to do." Who would have thought juvenile acts could apply to the shinobi world, but they could, they really could.

Naruto began to rub his hands together and cackle. His expression was downright devious. Sakura's father hummed, "If you two are finished with your tea I can clear the table up for dinner."

Sakura quickly drank the rest of her tea while Naruto mimicked her. Her father subtly slid his cup toward her and she noted there was a good omen in his cup; strength and loyalty, a good heart. She imagined her father had been focusing on her teammate as he drank and he was now relieved. He'd likely relay the message to her mother. In Sakura's own cup she saw success, and it was likely pertaining to their official genin exam. Her father gave them both a fond smile as he cleared up their cups.

Naruto went back to business, "So what should be our first continga-thingy?"

"Contingency," she corrected and Naruto quickly repeated the word to show he could say it correctly, "Well, that depends on what we think the test is, and there could be countless types of tests sensei could put us through to test our teamwork skills."

Naruto nodded with his eyes closed. His arms were folded over his chest while one hand came up to hold onto his chin in a pensive manner. "Yeah, lots of possibilities…"

Before they could discuss things further Sakura's parents returned with plates of food and a stack of dishes. Naruto jumped up, "Can I help Haruno-san?" he asked earnestly and both Sakura's parents chuckled.

"We have it all covered," Sakura's mother stated softly before adding, "Thank you, Naruto-kun." Naruto dumbly sat in his seat. His shock was evident, but he looked really happy. She wondered why that was, it was a simple thing, and sure her mother usually talked about him with scorn, but…Sakura frowned. She didn't like where her thoughts were going. Was Naruto treated so poorly by people that it was a miracle when someone was nice to him? She shook her head and helped serve food.

"So who else is on your team?" Sakura's mother began after eating a little. Naruto was surprisingly eating at a sedate pace. She was used to seeing him scarf down his food when they had lunch at school.

"Well we might not be a team if we don't pass sensei's test," Naruto answered and fidgeted slightly, as if he was expecting a reprimand.

"Oh I'm sure a clever trickster like you and my brilliant daughter can counter anything your sensei throws at you," Sakura's father replied carefully, a sly smile on his face and a knowing look in his eyes. Naruto ducked his head and blushed brightly as he stuttered out a thank you.

"Hatake Kakashi might be our sensei and Uchiha Sasuke was also assigned to our team," Sakura stated primly as she reached for her glass of water. Her parents immediately began to frown.

"I see."

Naruto looked at her parents in confusion. The blonde was smart enough to catch that her parents became sober at the mention of Sasuke, and he was also smart enough to tie her father's clipped tone to Sasuke and not their sensei.

Sakura fidgeted slightly. She knew her parents had always frowned on her obsession with Sasuke, and until today she just thought it was because she wasn't being a ninja for herself but for a boy. Now she knew it was because they believed he'd kill her, but in her premonition it was the masked guy that killed her. She shook her head as she remembered her other premonition, Sasuke charging toward her with that lightning in his hand.

"Um…" Naruto began, clearly uncomfortable with the atmosphere. "So maybe the test will be scavenger hunt?"

Sakura looked over at him relieved to have the tense atmosphere break up. "That's possible. In that scenario we would just spread out and search and come back together…" Sakura narrowed her eyes and began to shake her head, that didn't seem quite right. That would be a natural and immediate response, but it showed little in the way of teamwork.

"If it was a scavenger hunt then we'd have to get the items by working together, or he might try to pick us off one by one," Naruto reasoned as he tapped his chin, "So it would be better to stick together, but then Sasuke-teme—I mean –san!—um… he likes doing things on his own and wouldn't want us around."

"Exactly, so we'd have to shadow him and help him when he gets to the different items."

Naruto gasped and his eyes light up, "Neh, Sakura-san, I just remembered something! I can make solid clones, and I can make lots of them!"

Sakura was sure she was gawking and she was sure her parents didn't understand the significance of what Naruto just said, "You'd have to have a ton of chakra, way above genin level, or even chuunin level!"

Naruto blinked in surprise before smiling excitedly, "That's because I'm just that awesome, dattebayo!" Her parents looked uncomfortable but kept quiet; however, her father began to frowning.

"Naruto-kun, I heard from some of my clients that the more chakra one has, the harder chakra control is."

Sakura gasped. She remembered reading that in one of her Academy textbooks, "And you always sucked at chakra control exercises. Naruto-san, you do know they're the basis for all techniques. You need good chakra control to do most jutsu." The blonde blinked owlishly before it hit home what she was saying.

"You mean, I gotta do that easy leaf exercise over and over?"

"You thought that was easy? It's exhausting!" Sakura couldn't help but shout. That was not fair! How could it be easy?

"Uh…well it took me a _long _time to learn it, but once I got it, I could do it for a weak straight if I wanted."

It was Sakura's turn to blink owlishly. She frowned in thought and pursed her lips. "Maybe we can ask sensei for more chakra control exercises, I mean, if we pass of course." Naruto nodded with her, and immediately cheered up.

"Um… so what were we talking about before?" Her parents chuckled and continued to eat their dinner while Sakura planned with Naruto.

"Well we were talking about your solid clones and different contingencies."

Naruto made a light-bulb expression and nodded, "Right, right, I knew that!" he chuckled and scratched his head, "Neh, Sakura-san, can we make easy code names so I know what we're talking about. They need to describe the plan for me."

"Okay, so what will help you remember our "shadow Sasuke-san plan"?"

The blonde hummed before smiling mischievously, "Duck Season."

Sakura blinked a few times in confusion but shrugged, "Okay, Duck Season it is then." She shook her head and chuckled at the blonde's strangeness. Sure it had been annoying before, but now it was endearing and a relief. If the future was like her premonition, then she'd like this goofy Naruto around, especially if he had that badass glowing technique.

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**A suivre**

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**A/N: **I know the last joke is a Western joke (meaning western hemisphere), but I couldn't resist. Next chapter, Genin exams, and you'll see more of Sakura's internal delimma about Sasuke. Hope you enjoyed! ~ love, depressedchildren


	3. Chapter 3: Taking the Test

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Naruto, it belongs to its writers, animators, and producers. I gain nothing but writing and editing experience from writing this.

_**Summary:**_ After waking up from a horrible dream Sakura's life takes a turn for the...well something? She only hopes it will be good and will end better than her dream suggests her life will. The secret family trade is hers to learn, and in the process she will become a stronger kunoichi. Sometimes all it takes is a little wake up call.

**A/N:** Updating again. I keep forgetting to mention this, if in dialogue it looks like I'm using incorrect grammar or randomly adding 's, it's to emulate speech. Anyways, this chapter has some humor in it, but they will probably get a little darker from here on out, though there will also be lighter chapters. I tend to write more serious, introspective things. So, the action is bland, just assume the fighting is like in the series unless otherwise specified. Enjoy the new chapter, and thank you to those who reviewed, put this on alert or favorite. With love ~ depressedchildren

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**Chapter Three: **Taking the Test

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Sakura stretched her arms over her head as she made it to the meeting point at the same time as her teammates. She was glad she thought to wake up and eat at midnight so the lack of breakfast wouldn't hit her too hard. She hoped Naruto did the same. It was just a shame Sasuke wasn't much of a team player…

She shook her head and greeted the two boys with a smile, "Good morning Sasuke-san, Naruto-san."

"Good morning Sakura-san, Sasuke-san," Naruto returned the greeting. Sasuke just made a noncommittal sound and leaned against a tree. Sakura sighed and sat down across from Naruto. The raven haired boy could at least try to act like they're a team. He could associate with them and what not. It's not like it would kill him.

Sakura chewed on her lip and looked between her teammates. Should she tell Sasuke what they thought the objective of the test was? Would they be rebuffed for their attempt to help him? It seemed logical that if they were having a final test after being split into teams, it would _be_ a team test. It was a lot to presume but it also made a lot of sense.

Naruto also was shifting his gaze between his teammates. Except, instead of internally debating the matter, he leaned forward and began to whisper to Sakura, "Neh, should we tell Sasuke-san about the test?"

The Uchiha looked over at them. His expression was neutral but his dark eyes were fixed on them. "It couldn't hurt, right?" Sakura grimaced as she said those words. Something in her gut told her it would be wasted breath, or at worst it could hurt them.

"Um…Sasuke-san," she called for his attention, but he just looked away with his arms folded over his chest. She gritted her teeth together. How had she found that attractive?! It was completely rude! She took a calming breath before she started again, "Sasuke-san, we think the test will be about teamwork."

He scoffed at her and continued to look away from them. Naruto stood up in indignation, and looked like he was ready to charge at the Uchiha. Against her vindictive desire for the blonde to shake their teammate, she grabbed hold of Naruto's arm and shook her head. She then stood up and took a few steps toward Sasuke.

"Think about this, Sasuke-san," she paused to see if he would listen to her, but she received no reaction. She gritted her teeth but continued, "We're being given a final test after we've been put into teams. They already tested us individually, and we've been put into teams for this next test. It has to be about teamwork. Besides, what else is Konoha known for, what's won us wars?"

Sasuke looked over at her with a deadpan look, Sakura waited for a response but received none. Naruto even got this line of thinking, why couldn't Sasuke?! She glared at him but sighed, "Teamwork, Sasuke-san. Teamwork has won us wars. I mean…" she licked her lips and gestured with her arms in frustration, "the Sannin were a deadly team, feared and famous because of their teamwork."

Sasuke just scoffed again. She glared at him along with Naruto, but then the blonde sighed and leaned in toward her, "Neh, Sakura-san, let's just stick with our plan." He murmured before sitting back down with a frown on his face.

She sighed again and dropped down next to Naruto. The blonde was looking around with a thoughtful expression. "What are you thinking?" she asked as she too looked around. The sun had already risen and there was no Kakashi-sensei in sight.

"Hmm…?" the blonde looked over at her before shrugging, "I was wondering if I should put traps in the forest."

"We don't know how he'll test our teamwork, and it could be a waste of materials," Sakura reasoned, though she saw merit in her teammate thinking ahead. Sure Naruto was loud, but with the right encouragement he could be a great ninja. He already seemed to be scoping the area out, and since she tied pranks to the ninja world, she could see the gears turning in his head.

"That's what I was thinkin' but what if sensei doesn't show for hours like yesterday and we do need them?" Naruto asked with his head tilted to one side. Sakura chewed her lip. That was a fair point. Sasuke scoffed again from his position by the tree line.

"Well…" Sakura began, "Maybe you can prepare some that don't need to be set in the forest right away?"

Naruto's eyes got wide and he looked at her with his mouth open. "Sakura-san is so smart!" he cheered and began to run around the area collecting leaves from trees and branches from shrubs. When he sat back down with the different types of foliage, he began making traps.

She watched him curiously as he hid ninja wire within leaves and branches. It was kind of fascinating. When they did trap making exercises Naruto always did something different from the assignment, and claimed it was because the assignment was too easy. The rest of her class just thought he was trying to cover up for his own stupidity by bragging about skills he didn't have, but looking at what he was constructing now…What if traps really were easy?

"Naruto-san, can you show me how you're doing that?"

The blonde looked up in surprise at her question. He had his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth as he worked a triggering release into the device he was making. He blinked a few times, "Y-you want me to…to show you how to make this?" he sounded like he couldn't believe his ears.

"Yeah, Naruto-san, that looks really complicated. We never went over advance traps like that in the Academy."

Sakura felt eyes on the back of her head but she didn't dare turn around. There was a sharp pain in her stomach, like she was being stabbed. She didn't like the feeling one bit and was confused by it. Part of her was telling her it could be her imagination, but another part of her told her it was a warning. Something bad was going to happen…someday, somehow, something bad was going to happen and it felt like being stabbed.

She swallowed and paid attention to the chuckling, blushing blonde who stumbled over his words as he explained traps like they were second nature to him.

Sakura listened as best as she could, but there was that sense of dread she just could not shake off. The pain had left her as quickly as it came on, but the feelings associated with it lingered. Perhaps she should ask her father what it meant. She had no visions, but just a foreboding feeling.

As the hours passed, her dread lessened and her annoyance increased. Naruto was also clearly annoyed. He could only say so much about traps and make so many before he too was bored. Where the hell was their sensei? Was this what her teammates had to deal with yesterday? Ugh! Did her team get, like, the perpetually late sensei or something?

She groaned and lay down in the road as she stared up at the clouds. Naruto was grumbling to himself beside her. Sasuke had eventually sat down at the base of the tree he had been leaning against. He was still ignoring them and acting like they weren't worth the dirt beneath his feet. She groaned and held her hands over her face. It may have been just yesterday that she realized Sasuke was not as perfect as she thought, and she couldn't help but feel shame for how she acted all these years.

What self-respecting kunoichi—no woman!—would let a man treat her the way Sasuke treated all of his fan-girls. She groaned again. She had been a fan-girl most of her life, chasing after him and squealing at any exposed skin that normally wasn't seen. She was pathetic, and it took a stupid vision of him trying to electrocute her to realize what an idiot she was being.

Of course, her heart still picked up speed when he looked at her with those bottomless eyes, and the way he brooded in the corner was still dreamy, but his attitude sucked. He was cold, uncaring, and who knew what else. Before she might have hoped it was just due to his tragic childhood that he shut himself off from others, and like all of Sasuke's fan-girls, she hoped her love for him could change him and get through to him. But now…she wondered if he could be helped and if maybe there was something _really_ wrong with him.

That sharp pain hit her again, as if saying: _yep, hit the nail right on the head._ She tilted her head to the side and looked over at her "dream-man." He was attractive, yes, but what else in him was desirable? His clan, his money? It was all superficial. He was like a statue; pretty to look at, but there was little else there but cold stone. He didn't seem to really change, always cold and brooding.

Sasuke caught her look and glared at her. She felt her heartbeat pick up at his piercing gaze, but she did her best to look past the intensity of his black eyes. There was something there, something beneath the surface, ready to break out…it…it made the pain in her stomach return and fear crawl up her back. She looked away and shuddered. She didn't know what it was but her foreboding returned.

Naruto suddenly jumped to his feet, making inarticulate noises while pointing in Sakura's direction. She tilted her head back and saw a figure approaching them. She shot to her feet and began pointing with Naruto at their late sensei. Words were escaping her in her indignation and anger. That lazy bastard! He was two-and-a-half hours late. He said sunrise, and here he comes strolling in well past that time.

"Yo!" he said cheerfully with a wave while the other hand was casually stuck in his pocket. Sakura just yelled in frustration, no words could come to her to express how utterly pissed off she was with the man.

"You're late!" Naruto growled out with his lips pulled back in a snarl. Sasuke finally meandered over to them, his hands were shoved into his pockets. He looked ready to kill their sensei for being so late, _again._

"Well, you see this black cat came across my way so I had to—"

"Liar!" she screamed along with Naruto.

He seemed unfazed by their reaction and just laughed sheepishly before leading them over to a clearing with a strangely shaped memorial. It was shiny and black, but as she looked at it she noticed names of famous ninja that had died in the various wars.

Seemingly out of nowhere their sensei pulled a large timer and set it on the memorial stone, "This timer is set to go off at noon," he stated as he placed two bento boxes beside the box shaped timer. He then moved in front of him.

"Before the timer goes off, you must get one of these," he held out two silver bells tied to a red string, which he then tied to his belt loop.

"B-but, there's only two of them," Sakura stuttered out. How could there only be two? This was supposed to be about teamwork, but immediately the test was setting them up for opposition. Her heart began to sink down into her stomach, especially when Sasuke sent her a superior smirk.

The sadistic, in Sakura's opinion, Jounin just gave them an eye-smile, "Because whoever doesn't get a bell will be sent back to the academy, or better yet," he added, "they'll never be allowed to become ninja," at his cheerfulness Sakura felt a rock settle in her stomach beside her heart.

This didn't make sense! This was supposed to be a team test, right? It had to be, why else would they be tested after being put in teams?! The test was immediately pitting them against each other! Then there was the fact that they were supposed to get those bells from a _Jounin_, which seemed impossible. No…this didn't add up!

Naruto was looking at her nervously, perhaps he was wondering if all their plans were for naught? Perhaps he thought it would a free-for-all?

"If you want to get the bells, you're going to have to come at me with intent to kill," he added casually, as if amused with the whole situation.

Sakura swallowed thickly. Intent to kill? She knew ninja were supposed to be trained killers but she was just a genin! She frowned and watched as Naruto charged toward their sensei, only to have his kunai placed at the back of his skull.

"I didn't say start yet," Kakashi chided in that infuriating, disturbing, and cheerful tone. They wouldn't be able to do this on their own. She had hardly seen her sensei move! They were way out of their league. Perhaps he'd hold back, but this was a test, he wouldn't make it easy on them. She bit her lip and thought.

This still had to be about teamwork, it had to be! She heard that voice, or rather, those voices again. _Those who abandon their mission are trash; those who abandon their friends are lower than trash._ Friends…comrades they were similar words but with different connotations. To put the mission above those one works with is the right thing to do as shinobi, but if completing the mission causes one to abandon their comrades… Sakura began to smile as their sensei released Naruto.

Sensei was testing their teamwork in more ways than one. She caught Naruto's gaze and winked. The blonde looked confused at first but then his eyes widened in understanding. Naruto flicked his gaze over to Sasuke before looking back at her; she just grinned broader and dropped her chin slightly before raising it back up. With Naruto's back faced to their sensei, he likely didn't see the full exchange, but the suspicious look he gave her told Sakura he knew something had transpired.

Naruto fell back and turned to face their teacher who observed them for a moment, "Alright, begin,"

"Oh Fuck," Sakura stated before jumping out of the clearing. As she was doing that, Naruto summoned a horde of clones before meeting up with her.

"What tea did I serve you last night?" she asked.

"Lemon-mango," he responded seriously before glancing back into the clearing. "What now Team Leader?" he asked in a low tone.

"Duck Season and Spam-a-lot," Sakura blushed at being called team leader but she took it in stride.

The blonde nodded in response to her strategies, but then he blinked. "One of my clones found Sasuke-san. He's in another clearing preparing traps."

"Then let's add to them and be support." Sakura whispered back before heading in the direction Naruto started going. "How are the clones doing?" she asked as they made their way toward Sasuke.

"Getting their asses kicked," the blonde grumbled, frowning before his eyes went wide as he reached his hands behind him and grabbed his bottom, "Th-that pervert!" he was blushing bright red, but a thoughtful expression came over him, "That could be deadly with a kunai and exploding tag…"

Sakura really did not want to know! She could get the gist of what happened and it was making her blush.

She paused for a moment before catching back up with Naruto. He gave her a strange look, "A thought occurred to me," she paused, "Fun House," she stated and Naruto just grinned like a fox. He made a few more clones but this time they used the henge technique to appear like Sakura.

"Little Rabbit?" Naruto asked and Sakura nodded her head, smiling mischievously along with him.

"With a little Boom," she added wickedly. Naruto cackled before handing the disguised clones a few exploding tags that they hid under their red dresses. Sakura hummed, she'd have to change her wardrobe so it'd be more appropriate for tough missions. She watched the rigged clones disappear into the foliage.

"Neh, Sakura-san," Naruto whispered, still grinning broadly, "Sensei's reading a dirty novel."

Her face darkened and punched her fist into her palm, "Then there's going to be an Earthquake," the self-respecting woman inside of her could not let their perverted sensei get away with reading smut in front of them.

"Thought so," Naruto snickered. They finally came to the clearing Sasuke was working in. They hid in the trees and looked down.

Suddenly they heard an explosion and Naruto grinned over at Sakrua. Oh what she wouldn't give to see their sensei's reaction to when the clone disguised as Sakura exploded. She wondered what exactly happened.

However, it was at that moment that sensei entered the clearing, his clothes were a little singed and even smoking in places. As Kakashi engaged Sasuke in a tiajutsu/trap battle, she had to admit Sasuke was good, very good for a genin, but it was clear their sensei was holding back. The man did look genuinely surprised when he was lead into a trap and a giant fireball was directed at him, but he got out of it easily.

"Earthquake," Naruto murmured after Sasuke went airborne and their sensei disappeared. Sasuke may not have noticed where their sensei went, but they had. Without a second's thought, Sakura channeled chakra into her fist and jumped. She landed below where Sasuke was still getting airtime, and struck with all she had.

"Sharp and Pointy!" Naruto yelled as their sensei emerged from the rubble left in the wake of her attack. Sakura tackled Sasuke out of the way in time to miss the barrage of weapons.

"Spam-a-lot, Fun House!" Sakura yelled as she stood up next to an irritated Uchiha.

The clearing suddenly filled with Sasukes, Sakuras, and Narutos.

"Switchy, Switchy, Boom, Boom!" Sakrua shouted again as clones charged their sensei. Some latched onto the wide-eyed Jounin before they exploded. Then Sakura felt her body being replaced by the clones closer to their sensei. She imagined the Naruto clones were doing the same for Sasuke. They had to get close to him to get the bells, in the confusion of clones mixed with real genin, Sakura knew their sensei couldn't dispatch the clones as easily as he'd like, lest he accidently kill the real genin.

She switched once more with one of the clones who was about to be expelled by a cut, she took the hit and severed the bells from her sensei's belt loop. Either Sasuke or a clone swooped in and grabbed them as they were falling.

Sakura held her hand to her stomach where she was sliced by a kunai and grinned up at her sensei through the stinging. She couldn't stop the giddy laugh that bubbled up.

Naruto dispelled his clones and it was revealed that Sasuke had gotten the bells after they were cut. "We got the bells, 'tebayo!" Naruto shouted as he jumped up and down in excitement.

Their sensei gave nothing away as he stood up, "Correction, Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun got the bells."

"Yeah, dobe, I passed," Sasuke retorted.

Sakura knew Naruto was about to blow up, so she piped in, "But we worked as a team, which was the point of the test, right sensei?" Her heart was beating in throat. Had the voices been wrong? Was she wrong?

Sasuke scoffed, "The point was to get the bells, I got them," he was glaring at her and she felt that sharp pain again. She paled and looked up at the gray—or maybe it was silver?—haired man.

The Jounin sighed heavily, "Sakura-chan was right, Sasuke-kun, the objective of the test was to see that you could work as a team. And unfortunately, I'll have to fail all of you because _you_ failed to grasp that." Kakashi looked pointedly at Sasuke, who looked like he wanted to murder something.

Sakura suppressed her grimace as the pain in her stomach flared-up, but the arm already around her stomach unconsciously pressed tighter to the pained area. That stabbing pain was not abating this time. Oh Gods! She breathed through her nose as she watched Sasuke's expression turn dark as he clenched tightly to the bells in his hands. He really looked like he could murder someone.

"Ha! We told you Teme!" Naruto taunted with his finger pointed mere inches from the other boy's face. Sakura could see Sasuke was gritting his teeth together; he was going to snap any minute!

"Naruto-san!" she chastised, and the boy dropped his arm and looked down at the ground ashamed. She turned to her sensei, grimacing at the pain in her stomach, "Sensei, we did work as a team, we incorporated Sasuke-san into our plans, and if you train us we can build up our teamwork. We didn't get in each other's way, did we?" Sakura asked seriously. The Jounin just stared at her. She gritted her teeth together to get through the pain in her stomach. She'd have to try again.

"Sensei, I knew how Sasuke-san fights, and I knew a lot of his techniques," she blushed since she only knew those things from her years of stalking him, "Naruto-san and I had made contingency plans last night that incorporated Sasuke-san based on what we both knew about him. Even if he didn't actively participate in the teamwork, he was part of it. Besides, when we all began attacking you, Sasuke-san went with what we were doing flawlessly! We can work as a team, we can!"

"And what if he abandons you two for the mission? What if his inability to be a team player gets you two killed?" the pain stabbed at her worse when their sensei said those words.

She bit her lip to keep form blurting the words echoing in her head, but it was Naruto who spoke, "We won't let that happen, Sensei. He's our teammate, we protect each other and we work with each other."

"Yeah," Sakura added, "The mission isn't near as important as making it through as a team."

Their Jounin turned to look at the raven haired boy, "Do you hear that Sasuke-kun? They're willing to work as a team, to help one another. Are you going to be a team player?"

Sasuke stared at their sensei for a moment. He was grinding his teeth still and his fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles looked ghostly white. "Yes, I will be a team player," he gritted out.

"Good." Their sensei eye-smiled before the expression dropped and his body language showed complete seriousness, "Because those who abandon the mission are considered trash by shinobi law, but those who abandon their comrades are lower than trash. You don't want to be considered _lower_ than _refuse_, right Sasuke-kun?" the boy gritted his teeth again but nodded his head curtly.

The pain in her stomach was making her feel sick. She couldn't help but feel something terrible was going to happen. Perhaps not right at this instant, but soon.

"Sakura-san? Are you alright? I know a clone used kawarimi with you before being dispelled but…?" Naruto was hovering around her and she gave him a smile that looked more like a grimace.

"Oh, it's nothing Naruto-san, just…um…" she began to blush as she pretended this stabbing pain was something else. She knew it wasn't what she would pretend it was, but her teammates didn't need to know that. "Well, it's something you don't need to worry about, okay?"

Her sensei gave her a critical look before giving an eye smile, "Mah, Sakura-chan, didn't they teach you jutsu for that in your kunoichi classes."

Sakura legitimately flushed and began to splutter. What was her sensei thinking bringing it up in front of her teammates?! It was one thing to allude to the issue as she had been, but to blatantly suggest what her sensei was!? That was not suitable conversation for mixed company! The former fan-girl inside of her wanted to faint because Sasuke would be listening!

"What jutsu?" Naruto asked with his head tilted to the side, Sasuke looked murderous still, but he seemed to enjoy that she was in pain and being humiliated. Okay, now Sakura just wanted to punch him, screw fainting from embarrassment. Is it because she had been right about the test that he was acting this way, or had Sasuke always been a sadistic jerk and she just never noticed?

"Well, women have—" Sakura reacted without thinking and shot her fist out at her sensei. He caught her fist but was pushed back a little. He looked at her with a wide visible eye, clearly surprised. "Who taught you that?" he inquired as he took back his hand and shook it out.

Sakura looked down and flushed, "Um…well…" she fidgeted before gulping, had she done something bad?! "No one?" she grimaced and looked up tentatively at her sesnei.

"Really?!" her sensei gave her an appraising look, "Team Leader and the taijutsu specialist of the team. Who would have thought?" He gave her a cheerful look, but instead of focusing on his compliments, Sakura was distracted by the pain searing through her stomach.

"What?!" If Sakura wasn't in so much pain, she would have turned to look at the Uchiha like the rest of her team. It was out of his character to yell, and specially with such an…impassioned voice. "Who said she was Team Leader?" Sasuke hissed, "She's a useless fan-girl, and scored the lowest on taijutsu, how could she be a specialist?!"

"Don't say that Te-Sasuke-san!" Naruto caught himself, "Sakura-san can be whatever she wants!"

Sasuke was up in Naruto's face, but before both of the boys knew it, they were being held off the ground and apart by the back of their shirts by their sensei. "Now both of you calm down," sensei said this in a tone one reserves for misbehaving children, "I am officially the Team Leader, but amongst you three, it would seem Sakura is the leader since she was the one calling out the attack strategies.

"By the way, who came up with the names?"

"I did, I did, dattebayo!" Naruto was raising his fist up into the air.

Sakura could barely think through the pain in her stomach. She was starting to understand from where this pain was coming from, and she had to do whatever she could to make it lessen. "Sensei, I just took on that position for the test because Naruto-san and I had made the plans last night. It would have been," she sucked in a breath and forced herself to speak through the pain, "a huge security risk to our plan to teach Sasuke-san all the attack strategies with you attacking us, you could have impersonated him for all we knew. Besides, we had him planned into our strategies already.

"Except, now that we passed, Sasuke-san can be the Team Leader. Okay. He's more qualified and skilled," she smiled through her pain and her sensei gave her a critical look. For a moment, she thought he might have been disappointed in her, but at least the pain in her stomach was abating slightly.

"Hmm…" Kakashi set the boys back down on the ground, "We'll see how you three work together and decide that later, okay?"

Sakura's breath hitched at the pain but she nodded her head. He eyed her again and crouched down in front of her, "Sakura-chan, are your menstrua—" She reflexively sent out a punch while screaming in embarrassment, but he caught it again. "tions usually this painful?" She blushed bright red and looked away from him. How dare you talk about that so openly in front of her _male_ teammates! In front of her former crush who probably wanted to gouge her eyes out.

"And that, Sasuke-kun, is why she will be a taijutsu specialist!" Kakashi stated happily over his shoulder as he eye-smiled at the scowling boy. "She is a natural. Her reflexes are fast and she naturally circulates chakra into her punches, a key to taijutsu."

Sakura blushed while she cradled her stomach. "You'll probably be the ninjutsu specialist Sasuke-san," Sakura tried to appease the angry boy, "Or maybe a specialist in everything?" she tried to smile but she knew she as forcing it, but at least the pain in her stomach lessened.

Sasuke was smirking and Naruto looked between his teammates dejectedly, "That's right, I'll probably specialize in everything," Sasuke stated in a low voice, his arms folded over his chest as he sneered at Naruto.

Sakura smiled at Naruto who returned a weak one, "And I'm sure with all of your chakra you can be a ninjutsu specialist too!" Sakura stated which cheered the blonde up but made the stabbing pain come back. It wasn't as bad as it had been, but it was still bad.

Sakura straightened and smiled at her sensei who straightened with her. He still looked at her with a critical eye. Whether he was concerned or suspicious, she couldn't say.

Sakura remembered something suddenly, and she smiled broadly, "Neh, Kakashi-sensei, will you teach us some more chakra control? Naruto-san really needs it, and I know I need to get my chakra reserves up," she looked down at the ground and blushed a little at admitting her faults. Sasuke scoffed at her which made Naruto's hackles rise and bring his fists up to duke it out.

"Shut up Te-Argh! Sakura-san do I_ have _to call this teme –san?!" the blonde was flinging his arms about in frustration and she sighed.

"Yes, Naruto-san, at least until we have garnered trust or have come up with nicknames," she noticed the blonde was about to open his mouth, but she interjected, "_polite_ nicknames."

Naruto pouted and folded his arms over his chest. Kakashi chuckled at the exchange and that was when the bell rang on the timer.

"Well, shall we get lunch?" Kakashi asked cheerfully to his genin. Sakura smiled and ignored the lingering pain in her stomach. "I'll even pay," he gave them an eye-smile and Naruto jumped up in the air with his fist raised. Sakura couldn't stop from laughing, and Sasuke just stared at them with his arms folded over his chest, but she thought she saw a smile.

She pushed down her dread from before and decided to focus on this bonding experience with her teammates.

"We can get Ichikaru's right?!" Naruto asked excitedly. Sakura scrunched up her nose at the thought of ramen. It was salty and fatty, but then again…Naruto really did love ramen. Their sensei was humming but he acquiesced with a nod of his head.

"Yes! Ramen's the best food ever, 'tebayo! You'll love Ichikaru's, 'cause they make the best ramen and have the best service, dattebayo!" Sakura found herself chuckling along with their sensei as Naruto went on and on about the "food of the Gods, 'tebayo!"

He had all rights to celebrate. Sakura even felt like celebrating; after all, they were official genin. They were Team 7, Team Kakashi, and they were gonna be awesome!

* * *

**A Suivre**

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**A/N: **Below is an index for the strategies, you probably figure them out. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, and as stated before, it will get a little darker but will have lighter moments as well. They way I'm taking this right now...it will get pretty dark before it gets light. Anyways, if people think Sasuke is OOC, think about how they passed in the series (they all failed, epically, and he ended up getting them to pass). Sasuke has a superiority complex, and sure the cursed seal influenced him but it was there to begin with. He's also fucked up, and should be after being exposed to his family's death via tsukiyomi. Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter ~ with love, depressedchildren

Index:

Contingency: Oh Fuck = fighting sensei.

Strategy: Spam-a-lot = Naruto spams the field with a ton of clones

Strategy: Duck Season = shadow Sasuke

Strategy: Fun House = Naruto clones henge into teammates to fuck with opponent

Strategy: Little Rabbit = act weak and innocent to set up a trap

Strategy: Boom = anything with exploding tags or exploding shadow clones.

Strategy: Earthquake = Sakura chakra powered punch to shatter earth or bones

Strategy: Switchy, Switchy = Naruto clones use kawarimi with teammates for offense or defense.


	4. Chapter 4: Being Proactive

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it belongs to its writers, animators, and producers. I gain nothing but writing and editing experience from writing this.

_Summary:_ After waking up from a horrible dream Sakura's life takes a turn for the...well something? She only hopes it will be good and will end better than her dream suggests her life will. The secret family trade is hers to learn, and in the process she will become a stronger kunoichi. Sometimes all it takes is a little wake up call.

**A/N: ** Updating after a hectic end of summer sessions. This chapter I start playing with storytelling perspective. It's all third person, just one character is the main focus. Obviously this is will primarily be told from Sakura's perspective, but since Team 7 or Team Kakashi is the second character, each of them will have their scenes where they're telling the story. Anyways, thank you to those who reviewed, put this on favorite or alert ~ with love, depressedchildren

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**Chapter Four: **Being Proactive

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Sakura yawned as she stretched her arms up and over her head. The shallow cut she received yesterday stung a little at the movement, but it was inconsequential. Her parents had been quite a bit angry to see she had been cut, and cut by her _sensei_ of all people, but they were making it out to be worse than it was. It would probably scab over in another day and she might have a very thin scar that would eventually fade away. They knew she was a kunoichi; they ought to expect her getting scrapped up from time to time. She shook her head and continued to walk toward the meeting place.

After the test they had gotten lunch as a team and then their sensei had dismissed them for the day. Sakura had been too excited about passing, and too worried about the pain in her stomach, to remember to invite her team to dinner. When she got home she remembered but by then it was too late and her parents were already fussing over her scratch. Once they had calmed down she demanded they celebrate her kunoichi status by buying her more appropriate gear and clothes. Now was her first official day as a genin!

Ah! She was so excited! This was going to be their first _official _team meeting. They were probably going to train and then go on missions! Oh! She could barely contain her enthusiasm!

She looked up at the sun to read the time and found she was early. For some reason, she really felt like going for a run around Konoha, not _around _around, just around. Like around where they had their exam. Just something at the back of her mind said she really should run that way, maybe stop and pay her respects at the memorial since she hadn't the other day. She had the time, and now that she was taking being a kunoichi seriously, she could use the run.

She grinned to herself and changed courses.

_I tell them about you all, sometimes…_ she faltered in her step at that voice, it sounded like Kakashi-sensei, just older and more tired. _I like to think they can hear me._

She frowned but continued to run toward the memorial stone. She just had a strong feeling she ought to go there.

However, when she got there she froze because she felt like she was intruding. Her sensei was there, staring down at the black stone. He lifted a hand in greeting, but did not turn away from the memorial stone. Sakura stayed in the tree-line watching. She really felt like she was intruding on something sacred.

_I tell them about you all, sometimes…I like to think they can hear me._ She shivered at remembering the voice. She wrapped her arms around herself and stayed by the three-line with her gaze fixed on the memorial stone. She wondered who her sensei had lost. Was it his parents? His team?

She closed her eyes and shuddered. Yesterday, the comments about Sasuke getting them killed…she bit her lip and clenched her eyes closed tighter. Had…had Kakashi caused his teammates' deaths because he wasn't a team player? Is that why he emphasized comrades over the mission? Had Kakashi once been a person who would forsake his comrades for the sake of the mission?

"Mah, Sakura-chan, were you sent to find me?"

Startled, Sakura jumped back and opened her eyes. Her sensei was still a few paces back and he was giving her an eye-smile. Her eyes flitted back over to the memorial stone, and though she was tempted to know who exactly he was mourning, she bit the question back.

"Um…No Kakashi-sensei, I had time before the meeting and thought about going on a run," she looked up at the sun and sighed, "Though I guess we're late now…"

"Ah," Kakashi nodded. His hands were shoved casually in his pockets, and even though he seemed the epitome for laid-back and at ease, Sakura had a very strong feeling he'd rather be back in front of the memorial stone.

She shifted awkwardly for a moment, "Sensei," she began but faltered. He eye-smiled and waited patiently for her to speak up again, "Um… is there something we should be doing as a team while we wait for you?"

He blinked a few times, clearly taken aback by her question, "Well, I hoped eventually you three would figure out that the time I'm not present would be team-building/training time, but I suppose that's why you were the smartest kunoichi of your year," he joked and began to walk closer toward her.

"Well, maybe today you could teach us some team-building exercises and the training things you want us to do, so tomorrow we'll hop right into it?" Sakura suggested.

Kakashi hummed, "I was hoping you three could create your own routines. That way, you would all be proactive with your training."

"But what if we do the exercises wrong and are just reinforcing bad habits?" Sakura knew she had an almost text-book perfect taijutsu form, but Naruto's taijutsu looked more like a bar brawl. If he didn't get help he'd keep the bad habits. Not that Sakura believed her taijutsu form was without fault or something, but… Well, Sakura had begun to think; what if Naruto's learning had been sabotaged? The blonde hadn't really improved in anything until Iruka-sensei began teaching a few years ago, and even then, the chuunin had to give him lots of extra instruction.

Kakashi hummed again and nodded his head. "Yes, that would be bad…" He then sighed, "Sakura-chan, I must confess, I don't know how I'm supposed to teach genin. I'm used to working with proactive, already trained ninja."

Sakura chewed at her lip and fidgeted before her sensei. She guessed that made sense. "Well…Kakashi-senei, you could ask for help from other instructors right? And you can ask for our feedback. You know what genin should have as skills, right?" Kakashi nodded curtly. "And I'm sure, Kakashi-sensei, that you know how we can learn those skills right?" he nodded again, "So it's just a matter of where to start!" she cheered and gave the Jounin a smile.

He hummed again. "I still want you three to be proactive in your training, but it doesn't have to be things you might reinforce incorrectly," Sakura furrowed her brow but then her eyes widened and she nodded enthusiastically. He gave her an eye-smile and nodded his head, "But I will train you three. We'll start with those strange plans of yours."

Sakura blushed and laughed a little. "Naruto-san helped come up with them too. Did you know he has enough chakra to use kawarimi with real people?!" she shook her head in disbelief at her teammate's chakra reserves, "The clones are one thing, but_ that_ is something else, and his henge is even solid, can you believe that!?"

Kakashi chuckled slightly, "Yes I can believe that." Kakashi paused for a moment before his posture and eye became serious, "I'd liked to speak about yesterday, I know you were not having menst—"

"Sensei!" she was blushing and had her arms folded over his chest. Would he stop talking about that! Usually men were uncomfortable about talking about female bodily functions.

"Haruno Sakura," he reprimanded in a stern tone which had her standing up straighter and looking at him with wide eyes. "If you have a condition that is debilitating like that, I must know. You can lie about it in front of your team for now, but I am your sensei and superior officer. This condition of yours could be detrimental to your teammates if it happens at the wrong time."

Sakura looked down at the ground. What could she say? She had talked with her father last night and learned that it was one way her visions could come, through bodily reactions and any feelings associated with it. She already deduced what it could mean, but she knew she couldn't tell sensei. Foreknowledge is a powerful tool to shinobi, which was why her paternal side traveled and stayed out of shinobi affairs.

"Well?"

"It's just a family thing, Sensei," Sakura whispered as she looked her sensei in the eye. It was the truth, and he saw that. "It shouldn't affect me during missions…or at least…I hope it won't."

She looked away from the Jounin and couldn't stop herself from shuddering. If those pains started on a mission…she'd know Sasuke was going to betray them.

"Haruno—"

"Kakashi-sensei, are you going to make Sasuke-san tell you everything about his bloodline?" Sakura interrupted before he could reprimand her. He looked shocked and intrigued, "I'm not saying this is exactly like a bloodline, but it's a family thing, okay. Can I leave it at that?"

She couldn't tell by looking at him that he was displeased, but she knew he was. His mask and control over his visible eye gave nothing away on what he was really feeling, but she just knew he was displeased.

There was a tense silence for a good few moments as he waited for her to break and spill, but she stood resolute. Kakashi eventually broke the silence, since it seemed Sakura was not going to tell her secrets. "Mah…I suppose we should head to the meeting place."

Sakura looked down at the ground and bit her lip, "Sensei, I could tell them you were summoned by the Hokage for a-a meeting? We can try to be proactive with our training until you get back?"

He looked at her for a moment before eye-smiling, "Hmm…I was actually supposed to meet with the Hokage and give my initial report on you three, but I was sidetracked yesterday by a Green Beast…"

Sakura felt her eye twitch in disbelief. He forgot to report. She took a calming breath, "Okay, I'll relay the message." Kakashi eye-smiled again before disappearing in a swirl of leaves—Ah! That was so cool, she'd have to learn that!

With a sigh, Sakura began to race off toward the meeting place. When she got there, Sasuke looked extremely annoyed as he leaned against the bridge's railing and Naruto looked ready to burst with energy.

"Sakura-san! You're late!" Naruto sounded more concerned than angry and he even ran over to meet her. She grimaced and laughed weakly.

"I kind of went for a morning run and lost track of time, and then I ran into Kakashi-sensei. He said he forgot to report to Hokage-sama yesterday about us, and so he was on his way to do that."

"What?! How could he forget to report about how super awesome we are?!" Naruto asked as he pouted with his arms folded over his chest.

Naruto's pout faltered and he gave her double take before his eyes widened. "Sakura-san, what happened to your red dress?"

Sakura chuckled slightly and looked down at her new outfit. "Well, Naruto-san, we're officially ninja, we have to dress like ninja right? So I asked my parents to take me shopping for some ninja clothes. They said it was a graduation present," she smiled weakly because Naruto looked at her in amazement. She had a feeling Naruto didn't have much money, so getting all new clothes as a graduation present must have seemed unbelievable.

Sakura shuffled around slightly. She now felt self-conscious of the muted red skirt she wore over her mid-thigh black leggings. Her top was just the mesh-mail all ninja wore, but with an earthy-brown, sleeveless top over-top. She also decided to wear her hair in a braid, though she was getting more and more tempted to just hack it off.

What had she been thinking? Being a kunoichi with long hair? Only those in seduction division had long hair, and that was because in any other situation long hair could be used against a kunoichi. Just because Sasuke supposedly liked girls with long hair, she decided she had to have long hair. She wanted to roll her eyes. At this point, she highly doubted Sasuke was even capable of being attracted to anyone. He was just too cold and shut off.

"Neh, Naruto-san," Sakura began hesitantly, "Have you received any graduation presents?" Naruto blinked a few times before smiling broadly.

"Yeah! Iruka-sensei gave me his head-band and treated me to ramen. It was awesome, dattebayo!" Naruto pumped his fist into the air as he shouted.

"Well," Sakura began and leaned in to whisper to the blonde, "my parents wanted to get you a present too, maybe they could get you more ninja-like clothes. It can have orange of course," she rushed the last part before he could yell in indignation, "See, I kept red in my outfit, but you just won't have as much orange, yeah?"

Naruto looked down at the ground uncomfortably, "I-I dunno, Sakura-san…" he was biting at his bottom lip, "I really like my jumpsuit…" she wasn't sure he was telling the full truth, maybe he liked it, but maybe that was all he could afford?

"The Haruno family insists! After all, Naruto-san, you're my teammate now. You're practically like family," that might have been a stretch, but eventually they'd be spilling blood together.

He looked up at her with wide eyes and looked about ready to cry, "Y-you mean it Sakura-san?"

Sakura found herself nodding and the wavering smile that split across the blonde's face was heartbreaking. However, his smile fell and he looked conflicted, almost guilty. Sakura fidgeted in the silence before an idea came to her. They had to be proactive, and this could give Naruto a chance to sort out his thoughts by himself.

"Neh, Naruto-san, let's race! Fifteen laps around the clearing? No chakra and starting line at the bridge?" Naruto looked up at her with a somewhat cheerful smile and he nodded energetically.

"Okay, Sakura-san! I'll leave you in the dust, 'tebayo!" Naruto then turned to Sasuke who was glaring at the water like it had done him some serious insult, "Hey Te-Sasuke-san, you wanna race with us?"

He looked over at them and sneered. It was as if he thought they were the algae he had previously been glaring at. They couldn't hear him, but she imagined he scoffed. She sighed while Naruto looked ready to shout at the other boy. "Come on, Naruto-san, let's just race without him, and _no _holding back!"

Naruto grinned at her and nodded his head resolutely, "On your marks," he began, grinning like a fox as they made it to the start of the bridge under the tall red gate.

"Get set," Sakura said next.

"Go!" they shouted together and took off to start their laps. She laughed in excitement as she got ahead of Naruto but he quickly caught up and began to run ahead of her. She grinned even broader and pushed herself, though she made sure to pace herself so she could do all the laps. Sakura was never very far behind Naruto. She was pacing herself, whereas Naruto seemed to be running as fast as he could.

Sasuke watched his teammates from the bridge. He had raged the previous night about how his sensei and team treated him during their test. It was like he was the child no one could trust to do anything on his own, he had to be manipulated, played like a pawn! It made him feel small, like he was waiting for that man to come home and teach him shinobi skills because father never would…

How could that fangirl and that dobe know the meaning of the test before him? He was made out as the incompetent one when _they _should have been. It wasn't fair, he worked himself to death every day to become a strong shinobi, but those two weaklings were deemed better ninja than him by their own sensei! Sasuke had to be the strongest, he had to be. It was the only way for him to revenge his clan. And sensei…Sasuke clenched his fists tightly against the railings.

Sensei humiliated him. That lazy Jounin couldn't see Sasuke's potential even though it was right there in front of him. No, the lazy bastard focused on the stupid fangirl and the dobe. He said the fangirl was going to be the team leader, when it should be him. He was the Uchiha, he was the smartest and strongest member of their team, but their sensei just didn't see it. No, instead he saw someone incapable of working with his teammates, and that wasn't the case! He would have worked with those weaklings if they incorporated him into their plans.

And that was another thing that pissed Sasuke off about it. They didn't even try to convince him the test was about teamwork, instead they played him and used what they knew about him. He wasn't predictable, a ninja could never afford to be predictable, but those idiots made it seem like he was.

He supposed he should be glad his teammates weren't completely useless but that didn't mean he should be immediately made the villain by them or put down. He was the rookie of the year, but his sensei and team weren't treating him like it. No, he was supposedly the one who would get them all killed. Sasuke was supposed to be the best and with dobe suddenly being useful…the feelings of inadequacy that brought up ate at him like a parasite.

And to add to his team's discord, he had come across Sakura on her run when she met Kakashi-sensei. The man confessed he didn't know how to teach genin! He confessed he was incompetent, and on top of that, he seemed to be lost in the past. Sasuke could tell the jounin would have rather been in front of that memorial stone than talking to his student about proactively training—that lazy bastard wasn't even going to train them properly!

Sasuke was supposed to entrust his life and his training—training that should make him able to avenge his clan—in the hands of some deadbeat Jounin who would rather talk to ghost than train his team. He left as soon as his sensei said he didn't know how to teach genin, he was too disgusted not to leave. He'd tell the Jounin he was going to request a team transfer, and maybe the bastard would shape up and stop humiliating him in front of those weaklings.

Sasuke glared more vehemently at his teammates as they finished up the last of their laps. They were slow, painfully slow, and sensei was watching them from the gate of the bride with such a pleased glint in eye. Perhaps mindless running was what he considered being proactive with their training. Well, if their sensei wasn't going to even train them, why should Sasuke put in the effort for these stupid "proactive" training exercises? The lazy Jounin would get one warning, and then the last Uchiha would be off his team, he smirked to himself. They have one chance to prove they were a worthy team for him.

As they were nearing the end of their laps, Sakura went into a full sprint which surprised Naruto. He had been going as fast as he could for the whole race, but he pushed himself harder, and it paid off. He jumped in happiness when he crossed the bridge first.

"I won!" he shouted as Sakura panted and began walking with her arms over her head.

"Yes you did Naruto-san, but you should keep walking so you won't hurt yourself." Naruto looked astonished by that and began walking with her.

"Impressive race, though it's unfortunate not all of you participated," Sakura looked over her shoulder to see their sensei crouched on the gate of the bridge as he gave Sasuke a pointed look. Sasuke just glared up at him.

"You saw our race, Kakashi-sensei!?" Naruto asked excited, "You saw that I won!" Kakashi nodded.

"Yes, you won because you have more stamina than Sakura-chan; however, she is faster than you and she paced herself," Kakashi stated as he hopped off of the tall red structure. He straightened out of his landing crouch to face Naruto's large pout.

"If we keep running, Naruto-san, eventually you'll get faster. You just have to push yourself," Sakura encouraged. Sasuke scoffed again which caused Sakura to shoot him a glare.

"Well how about next time _you_ race with us," Sakura challenged which just made Sasuke sneer at her.

"Why would I waste my energy before training begins, he's supposed to train us?"

Kakashi sighed and leaned against the railing of the bridge. Sakura looked over at the Jounin hesitantly. Should she tell Sasuke they were in charge of their own training before Kakashi-sensei came? If they were going to get faster or stronger, it had to be during their own training-time while he was late. Kakashi shook his head at Sakura's questioning look. She sighed and began to stretch out her legs.

"Is it wasting energy if you're getting faster?" Naruto shot back at Sasuke while Sakura and Kakashi had their silent exchange. Sasuke just glared at Naruto before looking at Kakashi.

The Jounin leaned more heavily against the bridge railing, "Alright, before we go on our first team mission, I'd like for Naruto and Sakura to share the strategies they came up with, as well as tell us about any contingencies they came up with."

"But sensei, the contingen-thingies were for the team test," Naruto had his head cocked to one side as he looked at Kakashi in confusion.

"They could be applicable to missions," Kakashi replied calmly before looking over at Sakura to start. She felt queasy and the pain in her stomach was staring to flare up, but it wasn't as bad as yesterday.

"Um… well Contingency Plan: Oh Fuck" she blushed at saying the swear word, though it was fitting, "was if we had to fight Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi nodded, "Which could be applied to any ninja ranked as an upper chuunin or jounin." There was a pause, "well, what was the general plan?"

"Umm…well Naruto-san would use his clones to distract you-er, well, the enemy," it was strange that they were now applying this to hypothetical enemy ninja, even though she had described contingencies as plans for when they came across enemies. "while we hid and regrouped. If Sasuke-san engages the enemy, we hide and give back-up support or make a surprise attack. Um…yeah, that's what we had."

Kakashi nodded his head and the stabbing in her stomach lessened. "What other contingencies did you come up with?"

"Well there's Needle in a Haystack," Sakura shifted a deadpan look over to Naruto who was snickering. Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow while Sasuke scoffed again.

"And this was?"

Naruto was still snickering when he spoke up. "If you had us track you down!" he exclaimed. "Do you get it? 'Cause scarecrows are made of straw but then we would have had to find you!" Naruto was practically rolling on the floor in his amusement. Kakashi just stared at him for a moment before looking back to Sakura who was blushing.

"Um… in that case, Naruto-san sends out a ton of clones to scan the woods while we tail Sasuke-san, and some of the clones set up traps we could lead you to." Kakashi hummed before he made a "go-on" gesture with his hand, "Then there was Treasure Hunt, which was in case you sent us on a scavenger hunt. That was like the last one but without the traps."

"Sakura-san, don't forget about Circus!" Sakura sighed and hung her head as Naruto screamed that contingency.

"And what was that?" Kakashi asked, once more intrigued by the bizarre name.

Naruto chuckled slightly before he began, "Well that's if you put us through a team obstacle course. I'd make lots of clones so they could switch out with anyone of us in case of danger." Kakashi nodded his head and motioned for them to continue.

"Well after that there was…" Sakura looked down blushing, "Duck, Duck, Goose," which made Sasuke scoff again. Kakashi nodded for Sakura to continue while Naruto silently fumed at their unsupportive teammate. "In case we were tested to find an infiltration."

"And what exactly was your plan for that?"

Naruto was grinning while Sakura just shook her head and looked at the Jounin, "Sensei, haven't you noticed a pattern?"

Kakashi blinked before his head dropped forward, "All of your plans begin with Naruto abusing his kage bunshin jutsu, don't they?" the two of them laughed sheepishly.

When Kakashi sighed again, Naruto spoke up, "Don't dis my clones! They're super awesome for information gathering and distractions! Dattebayo!"

Kakashi chuckled slightly, "That they are Naruto-kun, but you won't be allowed to use them on D-ranks, and I don't want you to become dependent upon them." The boy bowed his head but nodded and mumbled a "yes Kakashi-sensei."

"Well we can modify most of the contingencies you've mentioned to real life scenarios. "The Haystack one and the Treasure Hunt are good tracking strategies, though I'll teach you ways to rely less on clones. Circus could be a good retreat strategy. If you make it to chuunin you will be taught how to identify infiltrators, but I can teach you some that beforehand."

Kakashi hummed and held his chin with one hand as he folded his other arm across his chest, "We will think of other contingencies if that is your preferred method. I'll teach you defensive and attack formations, but having individualized attack strategies will be beneficial as well, and the strange names you came up with will throw your enemy off."

Naruto preened under the compliment and chuckled slightly. However, Sasuke just _had_ to speak up, "They're stupid names, childish." Naruto's shoulders dropped and he glared at the bridge's planks. Sakura glared at their teammate instead.

"Perhaps that's a good thing, Sasuke-kun. Your enemies will underestimate you, and they're obscure enough to possibly throw your enemy off. Ninja are known for subterfuge, and though these names might sound "stupid" or "childish" they can give you a marginal advantage."

Sakura winced as the stabbing pain came back. Kakashi looked over at her for a moment before he looked up at the sky. Sakura really did not want to know what Sasuke was thinking, or what he looked like at that moment. If the pain was telling her anything, he probably looked really angry again. Naruto was oblivious to the dilemmas of his teammates, and was chuckling at the compliment he had received.

"Neh, Sensei? Do you want us to go over our battle strategies?" Naruto asked enthusiastically. "We can add Sasuke-san's techniques to it too! I'm thinking his fireball thingy can be called Hot Shit, dattebayo!"

"You are not calling my grand fireball Hot Shit, Dobe!" Sasuke hissed.

"And why not? It's supper cool, and it's fire so it's hot!" Naruto retorted, "And don't call me Dobe, Sasuke-te—"

"Naruto-san, be polite!" Sakura chided, though thankfully the pain was receding again.

"But he's not polite!" Naruto yelled in frustration as he pointed his finger in Sasuke's face.

Sakura sighed and dropped her head in defeat; however, Sasuke had to speak up yet again. "That's because Dobe's like you and bitches like her don't deserve politeness."

Sakura was on her feet before she could even think and then, well, her fist kind of connected with Sasuke's jaw and broke it. She stared in shock at what she had done and put her hands to her mouth, "Ah! I'm sorry Sasuke-san!"

Kakashi sighed and crouched down beside the fallen Uchiha who was gingerly reaching a hand up to his misplaced jawbone, "You know you deserved that, right?" Kakashi asked dryly before helping him up. "Better get you to a medic," he sighed before addressing the other two.

"Meet me at the missions' office in an hour." Kakashi and Sasuke then left in a swirl of leaves.

Naruto was staring at Sakura with his mouth open, "That was the most badass thing I've ever seen! Dattebayo! Sakura-san, you're so cool!"

Sakura just stared down at her fist in shock. She felt sick, and not because of the stabbing pain that made her legs give out. No, she felt sick because she had really hurt her teammate. Yeah, she was angry at him, but…but she should have reigned in her strength. She bit her lip. Either she needed to learn to control her power better, or she should learn healing in case it happened again. She wouldn't let this deter her from being a kunoichi; instead, it would motivate her to be a better one that could control herself. Perhaps in the academy, if she had done this then, she would have quit, but she was a ninja now.

She would be a strong ninja of Konoha.

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**A suivre**

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**A/N:** Sorry if it seems I'm hating on Sasuke, I just have a terrible time writing him and before the chuunin exams and the curse seal he had a really bland personality that centered around killing his brother. I really don't know how to write pre-curse-seal Sasuke. I do know he has a superiority complex, which I'm playing off of heavily. He was also raised as an Uchiha, who had huger egos than the Hyuuga clan. So hopefully that reconciles it little, oh and Kakashi and Sasuke will have a "heart-to-heart" next chapter. Hope you enjoyed ~ with love, depressedchildren


	5. Chapter 5: Telling Truths

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it belongs to its writers, animators, and producers. I gain nothing but writing and editing experience from writing this.

_Summary:_ After waking up from a horrible dream Sakura's life takes a turn for the...well something? She only hopes it will be good and will end better than her dream suggests her life will. The secret family trade is hers to learn, and in the process she will become a stronger kunoichi. Sometimes all it takes is a little wake up call.

**A/N:** Updating! Firstly, Kakashi has a "heart-to-heart" with Sasuke and reflects on his team. Secondly, the next chapter will have Naruto's voice on all that has been happening-his concerns, his hesitations, his regrets-so please give this a chance. Anyways, thank you to all those who have reviewed, and put this on alert or favorite. Please enjoy ~ with love, depressedchildren

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**Chapter 5: **Telling Truths

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Kakashi stood in the corner of the hospital room as a medic went about setting Sasuke's jaw. The brat deserved it. Kakashi demonstrated yesterday that the lovely little kunoichi of their team was volatile and had one hell of a punch. Kakashi doubted the girl even thought about what she was doing when she launched her attack on the "last" Uchiha.

Kakashi knew Uchiha Sasuke was going to be the most—to borrow the wise words of any Nara—troublesome of his genin. Before he thought each of his students would be equal headaches, with Sasuke being marginally more of a headache, but now it looked like Sasuke would be the only one causing him grief. Sure Naruto was loud and obnoxious, but Sakura was curbing his enthusiasm into something productive. And of course, Kakashi had feared Sakura would be an obsessed fan-girl who wouldn't take her kunoichi role serious, but that was clearly an incorrect assumption. She proved him wrong day one, especially when she called out to Naruto to ask if he'd like to prepare for the test when they all thought Kakashi had left.

But Sasuke…he met all of Kakashi's expectations for the boy. He was single-minded, and driven in his quest for revenge. He had a superiority and inferiority complex that blinded him from what mattered, and he was disturbed emotionally. Kakashi wondered who the hell did the Uchiha's psych evaluation because the boy was barely fit mentally to be a ninja. On top of that, Kakashi could see a lot of himself in the boy, and that scared him the most.

He noticed what Sakura was doing whenever Sasuke got angry, she'd try to praise him, to make him feel he wasn't "weak." Kakashi wondered how long it would take the girl to finally get sick of being a cheerleader for the brat. It was clear she was no longer a fan-girl, or fan, of the Uchiha. She was scared of him, wary of him. It was like she was expecting something horrible from him, and the way her stomach pains seemed to act up when the Uchiha was angry…It made him wonder. He'd have to go back through Haruno's records; perhaps she did have a bloodline? Though she assured him she did not, Kakashi didn't really buy it.

The girl was almost nothing like the report on her suggested. He wondered if, perhaps, something more sinister was going on. Her skills were all representative of her skills during the Academy, but her personality and attitude toward others had changed. She should hate Naruto, yet she treated him respectfully and she encouraged him. She should have been obsessing over Sasuke, yet she seemed scared of him; though, Kakashi amended, there were moments when the girl still looked at the Uchiha with infatuation, but it faded away quickly.

Perhaps he should have a meeting with her parents and see if they noticed anything strange about their daughter. Yes, that sounded like a good plan.

Kakashi looked over at the fuming Uchiha who had his arms folded over his chest. The medic had gone about repairing his jaw now, and Sasuke would have it wrapped up for the rest of the day while the bones continued to mend after the boost the medic gave. Sasuke wouldn't be allowed to speak for a few days and would have to eat through a straw, but after a day of rest he would good enough to remove the wrappings and complete D-ranks.

Kakashi looked toward the window in the room. He wondered if he should have passed this team even though two-thirds exemplified they could work in a team. He sighed, it wouldn't have mattered if he wanted to fail them or not, the council wanted the last Uchiha in the shinobi system as soon as possible. Sure, Kakashi could make the case that the boy was mentally unstable and perhaps have twisted words around to suggest the brat might go to extreme measures to kill his brother—measures which might include releasing a certain demon from a certain jinchuuriki—but then the council would remove Naruto from the team and not Sasuke.

He was still impressed by Sakura's leadership skills and her ability to share them with Naruto. He was impressed by the plans they made, even though they abused the kage bunshin no jutsu. With what they had available, they had been brilliant. If not for the Uchiha, he would have had no reservations about taking them on as a team. But again, he saw so much of his younger foolish self in the Uchiha, just the brat had more mental issues than he had at that point in his life.

Kakashi had told the Hokage about his concerns regarding the Uchiha. He even went as far as to suggest having a reserve genin for his team. He didn't trust the boy, he wasn't healthy mentally, and sure he had no right to judge someone's mental fitness, but he could see the signs of someone one or two pushes away from snapping into the psychopathic end of the spectrum. He saw little hope for the boy but then, had Minato-sensei thought the same about Kakashi, should Kakashi just give up or should he try having hope in the brat? Kakashi sighed and looked at the genin glaring at him.

"You know you deserved that punch," Kakashi repeated once more. The medic had left by this point and who knew how long the boy had been glaring at Kakashi while the Jounin thought.

"Sasuke-kun, do you realize you would have failed the test if not for your teammates, these people you supposedly can't respect or treat politely because they're "dobes and bitches"? And do you realize I could demand a replacement genin if I believe you are a danger to your teammates? In fact," Kakashi paused for emphasis, "I could request you be removed from ninja service, or put on probation, if you prove to be psychotic" The removal from ninja service was a lie—Sasuke would likely be taken under another former ANBU operative's wing and be put on a fast track to ANBU—but probation was still possible.

Kakashi loomed over the glaring boy, "I know you don't want to hear that, and you probably think I'm picking on you or trying to embarrass you," Kakashi paused and sat down at the end of the bed. The boy was looking away from him now, a light blush spreading across his face while he glared resolutely at the floor. So he had been right, the boy thought he was purposely embarrassing him.

"But, I'm not. I'm not going coddle you, _any_ of you. So if you'd rather have those chuunin instructors that praised you day in and day out, the ones that patted you on the head and said good boy; then ask the Hokage to be sent back to the academy because this is the real shinobi world. You will be acknowledged when you do things right and reprimanded or corrected when you do things wrong. And believe me, you will do things wrong and sometimes you will never be able to get them right.

"No one is perfect but you learn from experience. You make up for your imperfections and limitations by trusting others, your comrades fill in you faults, and correct your mistakes. Why do you think you're on teams? They are there to support you, to cover your weaknesses—and _everyone _has their weaknesses, Sasuke-kun," Kakashi sighed.

"You might see Sakura-chan and Naruto-kun as annoyances, and hindrances, but they are your teammates, and the wonderful thing about genin teammates is that they stay with you. You grow to support each other, and develop an amazing bond that has gotten many ninja through their shinobi careers with their sanity intact. You'll be there for each other after your first kills, and you'll be there for each when you have fears about leading missions or teaching genin. Being on a genin team can be powerful and can help you through some of the toughest times in ninja's life, which is why I have been so hard on you, Sasuke-kun, because you don't want to see Sakura-chan and Naruto-kun that way."

Sasuke was avoiding his gaze and Kakashi shook his head. He grabbed the boy's shoulder and turned his body since Kakashi couldn't exactly turn the boy's head with his jaw still mending, "I know that is the case," Kakashi paused and closed his eye as he prepared for what he was going to say next, "Because I was a lot like you when I was your age and that attitude cost me my teammates. I am haunted by my actions every day, and when I look at you, Sasuke-kun, I see that foolish me who believed he was better than his teammates and believed he could do it without them.

"And now," Kakashi shook his head slowly as he tried to push back the debilitating waves of remorse he felt over his actions, "And now I'd give nearly anything to have my genin teammates back, to be able to go to them about my teaching concerns, and be able to get their advice, but I can't because I killed them—literally and causally." Kakashi shut his eyes and clenched the fist he had driven through Rin, damn it! Why did she have to jump in front of his attack!

Kakashi collected himself and shook his head once more. He let go of the boy and looked at him seriously, "You're teammates are making the effort, they are trying to connect and work with you. You have to meet them half way. They will treat you like a human, and I am telling Sasuke-kun, that is a better offer than any other team you end up being paired on."

The boy looked up at him sharply, his brow was furrowed slightly and it looked like he wanted to ask what he meant. Kakashi laughed grimly, and beneath his mask he smiled bitterly. "You're the last Uchiha in Knonoha, Sasuke-kun, the last Uchiha anyone could get their hands on easily. There are people, organizations, that would want your eyes or at the very least your genetic material. Other teams might coddle you, treat you like some sort of valuable experiment, but Hokage-sama chose this team for a reason, and that being that you might have a normal genin experience."

Kakashi sighed and looked down at the bed. When he looked up the boy was no longer glaring at him, though he looked lost and perhaps even a little confused. "Give your team a chance, try to work with them. They may surprise you yet."

The boy had his fists clenched tightly in his lap but he nodded slowly. Only time would tell if the boy truly learned what Kakashi was trying to tell him. "Mah, don't expect me to talk that much again," he joked as he stood up and patted his pants—partly to make sure all his weapons were in their correct places and partly because he felt awkward. Kakashi eye-smiled while reaching for his Icha Icha book, he supposed he could give the boy the illusion of power after that tongue lashing and having his jaw broken by a former fangirl.

"Now, since you'll be missing the first mission, why don't you decide what it will be? I believe there's a baby-sitting mission, walking the Inuzuka dogs mission, weeding a garden, and…ah yes, painting a fence." The boy's anger was lost in his incredulity and shock.

"What?" Kakashi asked with an eye-smile, "Did you really think green-genin would get serious missions? No, your team will be bonding over these tortuous missions, while learning discipline, and skills to help you infiltrate countries and organizations as buss-boys or kitchen-aids.

"Oh! And your brother, I believe, did at least a hundred D-ranks , which is well above the average," Kakashi eye-smiled again before he held up his hand, "So which will be, one, two, three, or four?" as Kakashi spoke he held up a corresponding number of fingers. When the boy responded, it was—as he expected—the third option.

Kakashi nodded his head and replaced Icha Icha book in his vest before he put his hands in his pockets, "Very well. Now Sasuke-kun, when you rejoin us tomorrow; I expect you to participate and act like you are part of this team. Am I clear?" the boy glared at him but nodded curtly. "Good."

With that Kakashi used the shunshin technique to meet his genin at the missions' office. They stared at him in shock before they both pointed at him, "You're on time!"

"Of course I am," he responded with an eye-smile. Did they already expect him to be late all the time? He hoped it would take a week before they figured out his perpetual tardiness.

Kakashi then strolled over to a chuunin who seemed to recognize his genin. Naruto rushed over to the man and was jumping up and down and talking a mile a minute. From what he could catch, this chuunin was "Iruka-sensei." Sakura greeted the chuunin in a much more restrained manner.

"Hello Sakura-chan, Naruto-kun. First mission?" Iruka asked with a smile on his face, though it fell as he looked around, "And where is Sasuke-kun?"

"Ah!" Naruto began to laugh, "Sakura-san punched him the jaw for being a teme and calling us bad names. It was super awesome! She broke his jaw with just _one_ punched, 'tebayo!"

"Naruto-san!" Sakura hissed in embarrassment as she ducked her head and looked around them to see if anyone else had heard him.

Iruka frowned and shook his head as if disappointed. Sakura flushed darker in shame. Oh that would not do! Kakashi glared at the chuunin for a moment and decided to break in before the chuunin chastised _Kakashi's _students. "Sasuke-kun certainly deserved it and I will begin working with Sakura on controlling her punches before I hand her over to a taijutsu specialist." Kakashi eye-smiled and Sakura looked up at him wide-eyed.

"Sesnei, I do want to learn how control my punches, but…um…is it possible to learn some medical jutsu in case I hurt anyone again. I have really good chakra control, just small reserves." She was biting her lip as she wrung her hands together.

Kakashi hummed. "Unfortunately you'll have to wait until you're a chuunin to learn medical jutsu, or elemental jutsu for that matter, though I could teach you advanced first aid" Kakashi replied while Naruto looked ready to jump up and down in excitement. The chuunin, Iruka, looked surprised.

"Sakura-chan, a taijutsu specialist?" he seemed amazed. Sakura flushed deeply and looked down at the ground.

"Yes, she's a natural!" Kakashi eye-smiled and patted the girl on the head, "And Naruto-kun here could be a battle-field strategist or infiltration specialist." It was Naruto's turn to look down blushing and fidgeting.

Sakura might be able to plan ahead, but in the heat of the moment, Naruto could call shots and strategically plan things to their advantage. It showed in his use of his clones and especially when he was using kawarimi with his teammates. He had to plan out when and where they would be switching. Sakura may have suggested the strategy, but Naruto had put it together.

"Really?" the chuunin was smiling fondly at the blonde, "Well I suppose all those pranks had some benefit after all," he joked lightly before looking back up at Kakashi, "So what mission will it be?"

"Sasuke-kun decided his team ought to weed a garden," Naruto and Sakura's heads snapped up and their jaws dropped open.

"What?!" they shouted at the same time while Iruka hummed and retrieved the desired scroll, though Kakashi could see the chuunin's amusement clearly.

"Here you go, we have two more these types of D-ranks, so if you have time for a second one…" Iruka smiled cheerfully as he trailed off and Kakashi's genin stared at him stupefied.

"Ah thank you, Iruka-san, yes?" the chuunin nodded and wished them a good-day. Kakashi chuckled as he walked with his stunned genin to the address in the mission scroll.

When they arrived it looked as if someone had sprinkled weeds everywhere. He frowned under his mask while his genin just dropped their heads. "Sensei can I make one clone to make up for Sasuke-tem—" Sakura's glare made the boy correct his speech, "-san not being here?"

Kakashi hummed and pretended to think over the boy's question before he sat down on an overturned crate, "No!" he eye-smiled when his genin stumbled in disbelief. "Think of it as a lesson," he added, "When one of you is missing, everyone suffers!" except for him because he got to observe them.

Both genin sighed but got to work pulling up creeping-charily and other weeds. Once they were well into their work, Kakashi pulled out his beloved _Icha Icha_ and began to "read" while he observed his genin. They worked dutifully and quietly. The owner of the yard was not present, but Kakashi expected them to return shortly.

He hoped he had done the right thing by confronting Sasuke about his attitude, especially so early on. He was harsh, but the boy needed to realize just what his position in the village was, especially in regards to how the council saw him. The civilians were more subtle, but they saw the last Uchiha in a similar way as the council did. It was little surprise that civilian-family attendance rates skyrocketed after the massacre, primarily because they wanted their children, especially daughters, to be associated with the last Uchiha, who happened to have all of his family's wealth. It was sickening.

Perhaps he only made things worse? It was hard to say with someone was emotionally disturbed as that boy.

Kakashi then felt a sudden wave of killing intent, it was weak but it made him look up. Sakura was glowering at him with her hands on her hips, "Sensei," she began slowly, "What is that you're reading?" she asked with a forced smile.

Kakashi felt dread fill him for a moment as a shiver ran down his back; instead of showing his discomfort, he eye-smiled. "Why this is a delightful novel written by Jiraiya-sama the great and gallant toad sage!"

The girl hummed in disbelief, "It looks like an inappropriate book to have out in front of children."

"Ah, ah," Kakashi waved his finger as he shook his head, "As official ninja of Konoha, you two are no longer considered children, though civilians might see it another way."

Sakura breathed deeply before pointing over the house they were in front of. There, sitting on a porch and watching them, was a child for five or six years.

"Kakashi-sensei should put the book away when he's in front of impressionable children," Naruto piped in, "Especially before Sakura-san takes the book and burns it."

"Naruto-san, and I already agreed to stealing any other adult books Kakashi-sensei might have and burning them because Kakashi-sensei had decided to focus on that and not our mission," Sakura added with a sickeningly sweet smile before her brow furrowed and she added, "Unless there is a very good reason why Kakashi-sensei reads these novels?"

Kakashi froze, was it him or was the girl giving him an out? Did she believe there was a deeper reason than the "apparent" one? His visible eye narrowed for a moment, either she was very intuitive, especially when it came to others' motivations, or she knew too much. "I'd like to see my cute little genin try and steal all of my collection," he answered with an eye-smile. Sakura looked at him with her lips pursed but she eventually turned away. She was one scary enigma Kakashi was almost afraid to unravel.

Sakura crouched back down beside Naruto. She was initially pissed off that their sensei was reading a dirty novel in front of them, as a self-respecting woman she could not let such perverseness slide, but then…then she wondered if this quirk was like the memorial stone. She had the impression that her sensei spent a lot of time at the memorial stone, and that was likely the reason for his lateness. Then there was this feeling in her gut that said there was an equally deep reason behind his perverseness.

She didn't want to think what it exactly it was, but she had a feeling it was for the jounin's mental health—for his own stability like the memorial stone.

She shuddered slightly before leaning close to Naruto's ear, "I say we just steal one to show we can do it" she whispered and the boy nodded. "You're the prankster, so do it when you know it's the best time," she added which had Naruto grinning broadly.

She then looked back over at the child that was sitting on the porch of the house they were weeding in front of. He probably just got out of school and was waiting for his parents to come home. He watched them curiously, especially Naruto. The little boy looked confused.

"Neh, shinobio-san," the boy called, looking at Naruto with his head cocked to one side, "You don' look like a demon?" the child stated questioningly. Sakura noted her sensei tensed along with Naruto. Why would they do that? "Why my momma say you's one?" the boy asked as he hopped off of the porch and walked over to Naruto.

"I, ah…eh-heh-heh," Naruto rubbed the back of his head self-consciously as he laughed weakly.

"You don' look like Kyuubi" the boy added and Naruto seemed to pale while Kakashi's grip on his book tightened. What, was going on?!

"You're mother said my student was the Kyuubi, did she?" Kakashi asked with an eye-smile while Naruto looked too shocked and startled for words. "Hmm…well she is very mistaken," Kakashi stated before he stood, up, "I believe we're done with this mission. I'll go report to Hokage-sama now."

A chill ran down Sakura's spine at her sensei's words and his immediate exit in a swirl of leaves. Sakura stood up hesitantly but Naruto remained crouched and staring at the kid who was staring back at him.

"Um…well, I guess we've been dismissed, eh Naruto-san?" Sakura asked nervously as she brushed dirt from her skirt.

Naruto snapped out of his daze and looked up at her in surprise, "Oh, right!" he laughed nervously and hopped to his feet and began to brush off his jumpsuit. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then!" he called as he began walking away; however, Sakura snatched his arm.

"Did you already forget, Naruto-san?" Sakura teased, "My parents and I want to take you shopping! Come on, we can have tea with my dad while we wait for my mom to get off work!" Sakura began to pull the mildly protesting blonde with her. She decided she'd ignore the weird kid.

Once they were away from the strange kid, Sakura turned to look at the downcast blonde. "Is everything okay, Naruto-san? Do you want to talk about what that kid said?" Naruto looked conflicted again like he had been that morning. He bit his lip. "Come on, Naruto-san, you can trust me, I'm your teammate. I'll be trusting you with my life, and you'll be trusting me with yours. You can tell me," she encouraged.

He was quiet for a long moment as they walked toward Sakura's house. Then, Naruto looked up and nodded his head, "Okay, just…let's go to the forest," he looked incredibly nervous. Sakura tentatively reached out her hand and squeezed his shoulder. He smiled grimly before he began to run toward the forest.

She wondered what had him so nervous. She followed behind him quietly and soon they were in the forest. Naruto began to climb one of the trees and Sakura joined him. As she reached up for one of the branches she spoke again, "Naruto-san, what is it?"

"Um…well…." Naruto took a deep breath and exhaled loudly as he searched for another branch to grasp onto to pull himself higher up the tree, "I-I don't know how to start," he finally stated as he continued to climb the tree, "and I'm really afraid of how you'll react. I know we're a team so you should know about it, but…I just…" Naruto let out a shaky breath before he pulled himself up onto a wide sturdy branch. There he sat with his hands clasped together in his lap. "But you and your parents have been so nice to me and I feel…bad not telling you…"

Sakura climbed over to where he was and sat beside him. She brushed her shoulder against his, "Why are you afraid? Do you think I'll hurt your or something?" Her mind had begun to connect the dots. Naruto was reluctant to talk about whatever it was, and it had something to do with what the kid said. Now that she thought about it, she heard a lot of parents, hers included, that talked about Naruto like he…like he was the Kyuubi. But that was ridiculous, Naruto was just a normal boy!

Sakura's head spun for a moment and she found herself pitching forward, but Naruto caught her. A light burst behind her eye-lids. Cloaks, black with red clouds. A boy, red hair with the kanji for love above his left eye, he was dead…something was extracted from him, and then Sakura found herself fighting a puppet while chakra strings controlled her limbs. Her head spun again and she leaned heavily against Naruto.

What the hell was that?!

"Sakura-san! Are you alright?!" Naruto sounded panicked, "You almost fell out of the tree and now your nose is gushing out blood!"

Sakura shook her head of the remaining dizziness and tilted her head back. That was so strange! She could feel the blood dribbling down her chin now when before she felt completely unaware of her own body. She sighed. "I'm fine now Naruto-san, don't worry," she whispered.

_Akatsuki _a voice whispered to her. She felt dread and fear at the mention of the name —she felt fear for Naruto's life.

Naruto continued to fuss over her as she tried to clean up the blood still trying to come out of her nose.

"I'm fine Naruto-san!" she snapped at last, "I'm more worried about you. I promise, whatever it is you tell me, I won't spurn you or run away from you."

Naruto looked hesitant and he began to fiddle with his jacket, "You really promise?" he asked in a small voice. Sakura smiled slightly while she continued to wipe at the blood dripping from her nose.

"Yeah, I promise," she held out her pinkie. Naruto grinned at her and hooked his pinkie with hers.

"O-Okay," Naruto took another deep breath, "Well…um…I'm uh…I have the Kyuubi inside of me," he looked like he was bracing himself for a violent reaction, but Sakura just felt a little lost. Her head felt light again.

"What?" she asked weakly.

Naruto winced and bowed his head. "The Kyuubi, it's inside of me. The Yondaime sealed it inside of me because he couldn't kill it."

Sakura leaned against the trunk of the tree and breathed deeply. The glowing man surfaced again in her mind's eye, and somehow…somehow she knew he only existed because of the Kyuubi. But that Akatsuki…why was she so afraid for Naruto because of them…Then there was the red haired kid.

She frowned and narrowed her eyes in thought. Why would discussing what Naruto was bring up the red haired kid, unless…unless they were similar. She gasped and looked at Naruto with wide eyes. Akatsuki, it extracted something from that boy, and if that boy was like Naruto, then it was tailed beast!

Naruto looked pale and ready to cry or bolt from the tree. Sakura quickly grabbed hold of his shoulders and held onto him firmly. He looked shocked. "Naruto-san, I'll do all I can to keep you safe! That's a promise," she smiled broadly. She wouldn't let that Akatsuki get a hold of her teammate, of the glowing man or Kyuubi.

Naruto was frowning in confusion. "Why would I need to be kept safe? D-do you think the Kyuubi's going to hurt me?" Naruto's bottom lip was trembling and he looked ready to cry.

"No…" Sakura shook her head and frowned, "Well maybe…I don't know! But someday I bet the Kyuubi can be a great ally. You two could save the whole world, who knows!?" she smiled at that because in her first premonition the glowing man was saving the world, "You already saved the village once," she added with a wink.

"Huh?" Naruto scrunched up his face in confusion.

"You saved the village from the Kyuubi, silly!" She flicked him in the head as she shook her head.

Naruto flushed and looked down at his lap nervously. "Thanks Sakura-san," he mumbled, before he looked up and smiled at her with tears at the corners of his eyes. "Will you be there when I tell Sasuke-san," Sakura felt her insides freeze.

"Don't tell him!" she blurted out, without thinking. Most of the day she had felt that stabbing pain, which made her believe that Sasuke might betray them someday, "I-I mean…" Sakura amended, blushing while Naruto looked at her confused, "Not until you trust him. I know he's our teammate, but…" Sakura bit her lip and looked down at her lap which had splatters of blood on it. "But I get this really bad feeling from him..."

Naruto frowned and nodded his head, "Um….okay, Sakura-san…" he nodded his head slowly before looking over at Sakura, "Thank you Sakura-san…you're the first person I've told and the third person to accept me for it," Naruto smiled brightly, even though tears were again gathering in his eyes.

Sakura impulsively wrapped her arm around him, "Of course Naruto-san…Like I said before, you're practically family."

Naruto looked over at her nervously and blushed, "S-so…um…are you like my nee-chan?"

Sakura blinked in surprise before she began to smile. She did feel like she ought to protect him and encourage him. She felt the need to do that since her first premonition and when she realized how lonely and hurt he really was. She knew she had to be there for him, to protect him. She bit her lip as she thought about the new feelings she had for Naruto. They were pretty sisterly when she thought about it. She smiled again.

"Yeah, I'll be your nee-chan," she replied softly while smiling. "So long as you don't want to ask me out anymore," she added in a serious voice.

Naruto blushed brighter but shook his head violently, "N-no, I think having a nee-chan would be way better than a girlfriend!" he stated before hugging her. Sakura chuckled as she returned the hug.

"Okay, now come on, my little brother needs some new ninja clothes," she teased as she began climbing down the tree, "and I need to change my clothes," she mumbled to herself.

She'd have to start making a list. Nose bleed was Akatsuki, stabbing abominable pain was Sasuke. She wondered what other bodily reactions she'd have for warnings.

Grinning, she tugged on Naruto's arm as she hurried home. She ignored the looks she received. She didn't care. She had someone to protect, she had someone special, someone like family. And that was all that mattered to her.

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_**A suivre**_

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**A/N:** As mentioned before, Naruto will be giving his opinion on all that has been happening. Also, I am keeping in mind all the advice on characterizing Sasuke, but this chapter I don't get to showcase that since it was a one-sided talk. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed it ~ with love, depressedchildren


	6. Chapter 6: Confusing Attitudes

**Disclaimer: ** I do not own Naruto, it belongs to its writers, animators, and producers. I gain nothing but writing and editing experience from writing this.

_**Summary:**_ After waking up from a horrible dream Sakura's life takes a turn for the...well something? She only hopes it will be good and will end better than her dream suggests her life will. The secret family trade is hers to learn, and in the process she will become a stronger kunoichi. Sometimes all it takes is a little wake up call.

**A/N:** This is probably the shortest chapter yet, but again, I'm trying to do one continuous story telling per chapter. So...that's why its short. As for the late, school started up and I've been feeling unmotivated toward writing this. Next chapter will have Sasuke's perspective and he's going to be less of an ass than he's been. Not sure when that chapter will come out but it's in the works. It will likely also be short, sorry. Thanks to those who gave constructive reviews, put this fanfic on alert or favorite. Hope you enjoy ~ with love, depressedchildren

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**Chapter Six: **Confusing Attitudes

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The sound of insects and birds calling in the night drifted to Naruto who turned restlessly in his bed. He could hear the wind rush past his window as some ninja flitted across the rooftops or leapt up onto one from the ground. He sighed and turned to look at his wall while he moved to hug his pillow tightly. He felt so…so ridiculously happy but confused. It all felt too good to be true…and that usually was the case.

Just a few days ago—four to be exact!—Sakura hated him and beat him up all the time for being an idiot. He didn't mean to be an idiot; he didn't know how to be one. Perhaps most people would say to themselves that they weren't stupid, but after so many years of being called idiot, he couldn't refute the claim even to himself.

He curled up around his pillow and hid his face in the softness. It was just…for once someone saw him as someone valuable, even smart sometimes… Kakashi-sensei said he could be a strategist, and Sakura had encouraged his ideas when they planned for the test. He closed his eyes tightly against the burning sensation building behind them. He inhaled deeply but his throat felt too tight for it to do him any good.

He shook his head and hid it further into the pillow. It was all too good to be true. They'd call him idiot tomorrow, or once he failed they'd leave him… But then…Sakura said she'd be his sister…a sister, family, someone precious. It was almost too much to handle. He had had no one in his life for so long, but now Sakura was in it, and she was his sister.

He shook his head again and rolled onto his back. It seemed almost too sudden, and it couldn't just be because they're on a team together that she suddenly became nice to him…could it? He frowned and sat up as he stared down at his hands in his lap. Ah! He wasn't any good with thinking things out, he was better at talking them out! But who'd listen to him? It was already pretty late—only ANBU or those returning from missions would be up.

But he really needed to talk to someone!

Maybe…maybe he could talk to Iruka-sensei. Yeah! Naruto was already out of his bed when a thought stuck him. He plopped back down on his bed dejectedly. Iruka-sensei might accept him having the Kyuubi inside Naruto, he may treat Naruto occasionally to ramen, and he may have given Naruto his headband, but that didn't really mean they had the sort of relationship where Naruto could just run over to his apartment in the middle of the night.

Naruto pulled his knees to his chest and set his chin on them. Who could he go to talk to about this? Sakura? But she was the one that was making him so confused! His eyes shifted over to the bags of clothes her parents had gotten him for a graduation present, and he felt his throat close up.

Why did they just welcome him into their home and lives like that?! He was a demon! No! Naruto shook his head violently and even slapped himself in the face. No! Those were bad thoughts. He shook his head again. Sakura said he was a hero, and Iruka said he wasn't the Kyuubi—he just had it inside of him.

He still looked guiltily over at the bags he hadn't touched since he came home. It had been so unbelievable: walking around with people that made him feel wanted, and getting to have new clothes. It was just a few pairs of shorts and shirts, but…Sakura's parents had given them to him. Haruno-san had even ruffled his hair and said something about always wanting a son while his wife even gave him a hug. Naruto's face screwed up as he tried not to think about how the storeowners had said mean things under their breath about Sakura's family for buying him clothes. He also tried to not cry when he remembered how Sakura's mother used to give him the meanest glares, but now she gave him smiles and hugs.

He took a deep breath and shot up from his bed. He didn't care if he might be overstepping his privileges with Iruka-sensei, he needed to talk to someone!

He opened his window without a second thought and hurried toward his former teacher's apartment complex via the rooftops. He was always afraid of traveling this way because of all he scary older ninja who moved past him like blurs, but he wanted to move as quickly as he could without being harassed by any drunks.

He knew where Iruka-sensei lived after making a brilliant prank that involved putting honey in all of the chuunin's underwear! Though even that memory couldn't bring a smile to Naruto's face as he raced through the night to his old teacher's apartment.

He was perhaps half-way there when he was suddenly being held up by the back of his shirt.

"Now where is my cute little genin going in his pajamas?" Naruto looked over his shoulder with wide-eyes at his current teacher. Why hadn't he thought of Kakashi-sensei?! Oh…wait, he didn't know where the jounin lived. That was probably why. But why was sensei up so late?

"Naruto-kun?" Kakashi's visible eye was narrowed slightly and Naruto wondered if it might be in concern rather than the usual scorn he was used to being directed at him, "Have you been crying?"

Naruto immediately began rubbing at his eyes and sniffing. He didn't want sensei to know, but it seemed the man already knew as he set Naruto back on his feet and set his hands heavily on his shoulders. "What happened? Has someone done something?" sensei's tone was cold and professional, and Naruto tensed slightly at the sound of it, but he shook his head, still too ashamed at his tears to face his sensei.

The man sighed and Naruto heard the gravel on the rooftop shift a little, likely as his sensei crouched down in front of him. "Naruto-kun, I am your sensei, you can tell me."

Naruto bit at his lip and shifted slightly, "N-no one's hurt me Kakashi-sensei, I'm just…just really confused!" he finally looked up as he said the last little bit, but he crumpled again. So many people were being nice to him all of sudden, it was…it had to be trick, damn it!

Kakashi-sensei blinked a few times before he eye-smiled and actually sat down in a meditative position. He then patted the roof beside him. "Mah, take a seat," Naruto accepted the offer with a few more sniffles. "Now it understandable that at your age you might be confused; things are changing," Naruto nodded adamantly along with his teacher, "You might be noticing things about your teammates," Naruto nodded again with a hopeful look growing on his face, "and of course your body's beginning to chang—"

"What?! Sensei, what are you talking about? Dattebayo!?" Naruto waved his hands about wildly, "I'm confused about Sakura and why she's all nice now!"

Naruto noted that Kakashi visibly relaxed and even sighed in relief. "Thank gods I don't have to give that talk yet" Naruto was about to ask what his sensei was mumbling about, but the Jounin just waved his hand dismissively, "Mah, just tell me what got you so confused you decided to go on a midnight run."

"Not like you can talk, Sensei! You're out late too, 'tebayo!" Now that he thought about it, why was sensei up so late? Naruto looked at the man with narrowed eyes and sniffed a few more time as he tried to get all of his running snot back in his nose, but as he was doing that, he thought he smelled something like copper coming off of his sensei. In fact…there were barely noticeable dark splotches on his flak jacket.

"Mah, I was just doing a follow up report on our mission," he eye-smiled before giving Naruto a pointed look, "And what about you, Naruto-kun?"

"Oh, uh well," why would Kakashi-sensei be out so late for a follow-up on a D-rank they didn't even finish? He scrunched up his face and tried not to look too into things, "I was going to go talk to Iurka-sensei…" he looked down a little ashamed because his current sensei should be his go-to adviser.

"About your confusion and Sakura's recent behavior," Kakashi-sensei stated in an almost questing-for-information sort of way, Naruto nodded sheepishly. "Ah! Naruto-kun, you wound me! How can my cute little genin not trust me with their problems?!"

"Sensei!" Naruto gritted out, glaring at the man, "I didn't know where you lived, if I did I might have gone there! 'tebayo!"

Kakashi-sesnei chuckled and gave an eye-smile, "Ah-ah, but then you and Sakura would steal all of my beloved _Icha Icha_ books, right?"

"Sensei!" Naruto stood up in frustration, "If you won't be serious then I'm just going to go wake up Iruka-sensei!" He was about to turn around when Kakashi-sensei sighed.

"I apologize, Naruto-kun, I'll take this seriously." Naruto looked over at his sensei cautiously as the man patted the rooftop beside him again. He really did want to talk to someone about all the confusing things that were happening.

Naruto sat back down again and looked into his lap. It was silent for a moment before Kakashi-sensei spoke up and made a rolling gesture with his hand. "So…Sakura has been acting differently?"

"Yeah!" Naruto nodded his head adamantly and perked up a little bit, "I mean, four days ago she'd be punching me and stuff, but now she's…she's my nee-chan." Naruto bit his lip and held his hands together anxiously.

"Nee-chan?" Kakashi-sensei sounded surprised.

"Yeah, today she said she'd protect me no matter what…" Naruto wrapped his arm unconsciously around his middle. "Even after I told her…"

"Told her what?" Kakashi-sensei asked almost urgently and even a little warily.

Naruto looked over at his sensei sharply before he looked down in shame and nervousness, "I have the Ky—"

"I know," Kakashi-sensei interrupted, "and you told Sakura-chan this?" he was looking at Naruto intensely and Naruto couldn't help but swallow audibly.

"Y-yeah," for some reason, Naruto felt like Kakashi-sensei was conflicted and even a little disappointed, "Well it didn't feel right, 'tebayo! She was being all nice to me; she had to know what a monster I am!"

In a blink of an eye, Naruto's shoulders were being held tightly by his sensei and the man was looking at him with an extremely angry expression, "You are not a monster! You are a jinchuuriki," he whispered this word, as if afraid someone might hear them, "A living sacrifice, the one keeping all of Konoha safe from what almost destroyed it all those years ago." He then shook Naruto once firmly, "So don't you dare let yourself think that you're it or a monster."

Naruto couldn't hold it back anymore. In a week's span, he had been accepted by Iruka for what he is, Sakura, her family, and now Kakashi. He had been called smart, and told that he could be a great shinobi by all of those people too! It was just…he'd never been treated this way before.

Naruto ducked his head to hide his face, but he couldn't stop the tears, "Why is everyone so nice all of a sudden!" he managed to gasp out. "Why now!? 'tebayo."

Naruto felt his body being tugged into a hug. He didn't return it, he couldn't, but he soaked up the warmth and protection all the same. "The Yondaime…he wanted you to be seen as a hero, and there are many ninja who do view you as such," he whispered, "Perhaps others are realizing it now too?"

Naruto finally returned the hug, though he could smell the copper stronger now, but it still felt nice. As he hugged his new sensei, he could fell the corner of what was likely a book in his sensei's flak jacket…hm…Sakura-nee-chan said they should steal one to show they could do it…Hiding his devious smirk, he picked the book as he asked, "The Yondaime really wanted me to be a hero? You knew the Yondaime?"

"He was my jounin-instructor," Kakashi-senseis's response nearly made Naruto drop the book he was pickpocketing. "I'm sure someday you'll make him pro—"

"Hatake-san!" both Naruto and Kakashi-sensei jerked apart to look at a Jounin who had just landed on the roof. Naruto seized this moment to stow the pilfered book away at the back of his pajama pants. "I've been looking all over for you! We caught the run-away. We need to report back to Hokage-sama."

"Mah! Soba-san, I was being a good instructor to my cute little genin!" Kakashi-sensei gave a put upon sigh while the other shinobi looked at him clearly not amused.

"We need to report in," Soba-san stated in a manner that suggested he would not relent; and might even drag Kakashi-sensei by the ear to the Hokage. Naruto almost felt like snickering at that image.

"Fine," Kakashi sighed again, before he turned to look at his sensei's son and nodded. The boy looked better now. His eyes were still a little red and puffy from the crying, but he looked relieved now and a little less stressed. Kakashi looked over at Soba and rolled his eyes. This man would likely drag him to the Hokage if he dawdled away any more time.

He sighed and left along with the dour Jounin; though Kakashi was a little relieved Soba-san came when he had. It was still painful to think of Minato-sensei and Kushina-san, and Naruto was the embodiment of both of them. Then whenever he saw how poorly Naruto was treated for his family's sacrifice, it took all of Kakashi's self-control to not blurt out the boy's parentage. It felt wrong that he didn't know, but it was for Naruto's own safety that he and the rest of the shinobi world were left in the dark on that.

As they were traversing the roofs, Kakashi noticed a chuunin down on the street had a man and woman tied up, while a little boy slept on his back. Kakashi shook his head as he touched down beside them.

The tied and unconscious man had a busted nose courtesy of Kakashi who did not tolerate his sensei's son being slandered even if it was just through a comment about Kakashi being a demon sympathizer. He glared at the man who was unconscious and thus could not see the venom behind his one-eyed glare.

The family had received a statement saying that they should get their affairs in order before they went through behavioral adjustment "courses," due to their loose tongues when it came to a certain jinchuuriki. However, instead of being good civilians and facing their far too lenient punishment for breaking an S-class secret, they ran. Now who knew what would happen? Their son _would_ have been staying with some family while his parents went through the six to eighteen-month "course." But now, for all Kakashi knew, the Hokage could very well order their execution and the boy would likely be sent to an orphanage if his relatives don't want him.

Kakashi looked over at Soba again and sighed as he was forced to travel with the two men again. Why did the civilians have to run? It made his life all that more difficult. Well…it looked like he wouldn't sleeping tonight, since it would likely take until dawn to get finished with all the bureaucratic papers and headaches. But at least his talk with Naruto gave him some food for thought.

The boy confirmed Kakashi's suspicions that Sakura's demeanor had drastically changed, and had changed very recently. She seemed to have taken her teammate's jinchuuriki status far too easily and even hinted that she would protect him, but from what? Was she going to protect Naruto from the Kyuubi or something more sinister that Jiraiya of the Sannin was looking into? For either case, how could she think that Naruto would need protection?

As Kakashi ran toward the Hokage tower with his fellow shinobi, he decided he would visit with the Haruno family and see if they noticed anything peculiar in their daughter's recent behavior.

Naruto waited until Kakashi-sensei was far enough away before he moved again. He felt better talking a little about what was bothering him, but it was so hard to believe all these people saw him as good and not such a failure. And the Yondaime…Kakashi-sensei said he was _his _sensei and that maybe he'd be proud of Naruto—or that's what Naruto thought the Jounin was going to say. Wow… the Yondaime being proud of him, wanting Naruto to be a hero. Well…that was just what he'd do. He'd be the hero, the living sacrifice that kept the Kyuubi at bay. He'd become the best ninja he could be, and he'd protect all his precious people. Sakrua, her family, Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-sensei, Hokage-jii…he'd protect them all, all the people that believed in him.

But first…he had a book to hide before an angry Jounin found him.

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**A Suivre  
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**A/N:  
**Again, not sure when the update will be... hope you enjoyed the short chapter... with love ~ depressedchildren


	7. Chapter 7: Tormenting Genin

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, it belongs to its writers, animators, and producers. I gain nothing but writing and editing experience from writing this.

_**Summary**:_ After waking up from a horrible dream Sakura's life takes a turn for the...well something? She only hopes it will be good and will end better than her dream suggests her life will. The secret family trade is hers to learn, and in the process she will become a stronger kunoichi. Sometimes all it takes is a little wake up call.

**A/N: **Before I begin the chapter I will be explaining my characterization for Sasuke, yet again, in almost an essay form but this time with evidence from the manga. If you have no complaints with my characterization please skip ahead. Thank you to those who have reviewed, put this on alert or favorite. Please enjoy the chapter ~ with love, depressedchildren

I would like to begin my explanation by stating that literature is supposed to be a highly persuasive—as in not coercive—application of rhetoric; literature may guide its reader to an interpretation but it does not shove it down their throat or trick them into the believing it (Ramage, _Rhetoric: A Users Guide_). I am explaining this because manga can be considered a form of literature and can therefore have multiple interpretations from what is written and drawn on the page. So the following is my interpretation of Sasuke's character before wave based primarily on the manga but supplemented with some Wikipedia.

At the beginning of the manga, meaning before the Wave mission, Sasuke views his teammates as a burden, or people that will get in his way. The first evidence for this is his immediate response to being told they will be put onto three-man-teams: "pft…3 man teams? That's just more people to get in my way" (Kishimoto, _Naruto .3_). Then later, when he gives Naruto food, it is because "you'll just get in the way" if he was left hungry (_Naruto v. 8_).

However, Sasuke is a lonely boy who can sympathize with Naruto. He shows Sakura up for being a whiny bitch who thinks being an orphan would be wonderful because there would be no parents to chastise her (_Naruto v. .3_). This of course is an early hint towards the massacre, which he is still clearly hurting from. Sasuke was left alone when he quite young and his big brother, whom he trusted and loved more than anything, "killed" all of their family and made Sasuke witness their deaths for 72 hours straight.

Sasuke at this point in the manga has blocked all the good times he has had with his brother, for he only seems to remember them after he gets the transplant eye, and is currently left with complete hatred for his brother. He is also likely feeling betrayed by the actions of his brother which is compounded on his anger. With that in mind, it is his "ambition"—because he didn't want to use the word dream—to commit fratricide. He is an avenger and he can't be held behind, not even by Sakura during the bell test (_Naruto 7_).

Sasuke, as Kakashi states later in the series, has both a superiority and inferiority complex. One can see, particularly the superiority complex, in how he retaliates to being told he is not deserving of being a ninja. Given his ambition, this understandably would piss him off, but to outright attack the man, who wouldn't be your sensei because none of them grasped the concept of teamwork, can be construed as drastic and unhinged (_Naruto v. 8_). Sasuke also laments the power difference, or skill difference between him and Kakashi after he gets pulled underground during their fight (_Naruto v.1ch7_). Again, this suggests that he is constantly measuring himself up to others and gets quite angry when he can't. This of course falls back on his need for revenge and his brother being a broken beast despite being a pacifist.

Lastly, Sasuke does not tolerate foolishness and thinks less of his superiors when they do not act as they should. This is demonstrated after the infamous eraser prank. Sasuke thinks their sensei is not "reliable" and doubts his skills as a ninja for falling for the prank (_Naruto v.1ch.4_). Secondly, when Naruto and Kakashi are fighting he calls them both "two total morons" because neither acts as they should be acting and do act a little silly (_Naruto v. .6_).

With his character set aside there comes the matter of time-span. Wave begins in the second volume, but it is completely irresponsible for Team 7 to have gotten a C-rank after apparently only one D-rank. Therefore, one can safely assume that there was a time lapse. Perhaps a month at the least but it would be more likely for Team 7 to have been together for several months before their C-rank.

Therefore, the Sasuke that I have been writing is the first Sasuke anyone is introduced to—it is the Sasuke I have analyzed above. Yes he is capable of warming up, but that would require months of working closely together, and months of building trusting his teammates. What person with Sasuke's background would readily open themselves up to people who could very well die the next day in a ninja society? So though Sasuke will be capable of warming up to his teammates, it will not happen magically over night, he may be desperate for people in his lives, but I'd imagine after going through the trauma of losing all his loved ones, he'd be a little hesitant to open up again.

So my Sasuke is going to be hurting from the massacre, he's going to be judgmental, he's going to have superiority and inferiority complexes, he's going to be hesitant to let any close to him again because they might just die, and he's going to be insecure at times. He has been alone for so long, he's been the top student for so long, and he doesn't like when people/superiors do not act as they should. Most importantly, Sasuke will be angry sometimes, and with what he's lived through, with revenge and the "Uchiha curse" running through his veins, who wouldn't be angry? So if this Sasuke does not sound like the one you want to read, then please leave now and do not tell me I have not done my research and I am ruining this piece. I will not pander to interests; this is supposed to be fun to write, but now it feels like an academic paper. Thank you.

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**Chapter Seven: **Tormenting Genin

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Sasuke had hardly slept the night before. He always hated hospitals because they reminded him of the months he had stayed in them after the…the massacre. Everyone had watched him like he was going to break, and he could hear ninja flitting around the building non-stop—it was all unsettling and had set his hair on end. Even now they doctors and nurses still watched him with concern as ninja continued to run around the village. The looks forced Sasuke to think about what that one-eyed Jounin had said to him.

Any other team would treat him like a doll or something to be coddled. He had suspected that he was treated special by the chuunin-instructors and certainly by most of the civilians, though the older ones gave him dirty looks. So did that mean any other team would treat him special too? Would they kowtow and suck up to him, would they coddle him from any real danger because he was the last Uchiha? His past experiences seemed to say yes.

But Team 7…

Out of all of the graduating class, Naruto and Kiba were the only ones that didn't treat him like the prodigy he was, they saw him as a rival. They would always try to insult him and try to challenge his rank as number one in taijutsu. They were failures, of course, but they never treated him like he was something special. So either of them would be good teammates, at least in regards to not treating him any differently, though they were weak and loud which was bad for ninja. But then… hadn't the dobe shown he could plan and that he could be useful?

Maybe it was dumb luck? Or maybe the dobe had been holding out? Damn it! It pissed him off! How was he expected to kill that man if he couldn't even match up to that useless idiot—that turned out to be not so useless! And then Sakura! She might have been book smart, but she had never been helpful before, but now… his jaw pulsed slightly as a reminder that she was not so useless either.

She was different… He would have expected her to hang off of him, and though he was glad she wasn't, he didn't like how she looked at him now. It was like looking at one of those old civilians who cursed at him under their breath. She hated him now, or maybe she was just really scared. But what the hell had he done to her to earn that? What, was it because he rejected all the time like all the other kunoichi? That was completely unprofessional, but then…she hadn't asked him out since the day of team listings. In fact, that was the day he noticed fear creeping into her gaze when she looked at him. It was almost like she wasn't even seeing him anymore; instead, some monster was in his place.

Sasuke clenched his fists, he wasn't a monster! Only _that_ man could be a monster, but that didn't change the fact that Sakura was different.

Ugh! Why the hell didn't either of his teammates act like they should! He didn't like his expectations being knocked off so much. He felt out of his depth and like what he knew was all falling apart around him—like when he came home on the night of the massacre and…and his aniki had done all those horrible things. Sasuke hated when people didn't act like he knew they should…what stopped them from killing everyone important to him again…

He shook his head slightly, for his jaw was still mending and if he shook his head too much it might do something. He was being ridiculous…but then, was he?

He sighed and closed his eyes tiredly. He should be thankful for his team…they weren't useless but they weren't what he had been expecting either, and that unsettled and angered him the most. He had pegged himself as the team leader and then Sakura—who had always been useless—usurped it from him. He was supposed to be the taijutsu expert but again Sakura took that from him. He was supposed to be the ninjutsu expert but the dobe took that from him too with his large reserves and stupid clones. What was there for him to be? The genjutsu expert? Maybe when he had his eyes, but he didn't have the chakra control for that and Sakura did. That was another thing she was taking from him. Where the hell was he supposed to fit on this team? As the support teammate? He refused to be that! He was the last Uchiha, but he just didn't see where he fit on this team when they covered everything else.

It was like he was alone…useless. Like back then. He was too useless to stop that man from killing his family or anyone else. How could he be part of a team when he didn't fit anywhere with them, when they didn't need him? Was he supposed to double up their skills? What was the point of that…

But then…the cycloptic Jounin said he wasn't going to coddle them and they were going to work out how they all fit on the team. They'd figure out who the Team Leader was later, and if Sasuke could prove himself in time, then he could have that position back. He could belong on this team—probably the only team that would treat him like a real person and not the last of a bloodline. He just had to prove himself, and he'd have a place on that team. He wouldn't be just a duplicate skill area, but instead vital to the team.

"Uchiha-san, you've been discharged from the hospital," some nurse told him in a sickly sweet voice. Sasuke got up and left as quickly as he could.

It was decided then…he'd give them all a chance and he'd make new expectations for his team. His new expectation of Sakura—the bookworm—was strength, taijutsu skill, and theoretical knowledge. His new expectation of the dobe was…um…dense, but an expert in subterfuge and surprises? Sasuke did not like surprises but he still was not sure what to make of the blonde boy. That left the Jounin…the Cyclops…he was a veteran that was for sure; he was a hardened shinobi, but other than that…what was he supposed to expect from the man?

Sasuke resisted the urge to girt his teeth in frustration as he hurried through Konoha to the bridge with the tori gates. He'd keep working on his expectations so that he wouldn't be so thrown off again. But for the moment…he had to prepare himself to interact with them…to let them get close.

However, when Sasuke arrived at the clearing he wanted to turn around and ask for a new team assignment—any other team would be more professional than his teammates were! Even the "hardened veteran" was being ridiculous!

The Cyclops was looming over the dobe who was cowering against the bridge railing. The bookworm was trying to hide her amusement and was failing miserably. The Cyclops looked livid and Sasuke forced himself to continue approaching them so he could at least hear what exactly the Jounin was saying.

"I know you have it! You picked it off me last night!" Sasuke paused mid-step, the dobe had pick-pocketed their sensei? Sasuke found himself doubting the Jounin's skill yet again, but then he had to wonder if perhaps the dobe was just that _good_ at pickpocketing? The dobe was still a surprise to him and many of the skills he was now showing had not been made aware to their class.

"Eh-haha, Sensei, I don't know what you're talking about!" The dobe rubbed sheepishly at the back of his head and even from here, Sasuke could hear the lie. Well, if the dobe could pickpocket a Jounin it could make up for his inability to lie, somewhat.

The Cyclops slammed his hands on the bridge railings on either side of the dobe's head, "Don't you play dumb," he growled, "Now where. is. it?" his voice was very controlled and Sasuke could feel killing intent rolling off of him.

"I don't have your pervy book, 'tebayo!" the dobe actually ducked and covered his head, though Sasuke had to begrudgingly admit it was becoming harder to want to move toward the bridge due to their sensei's killing intent.

"Kakashi-sensei should double check where he's been, maybe he forgot it somewhere," the bookworm piped in before ducking slightly when the Cyclops turned to glare at her.

"I heard you two yesterday, you told him to steal one to show you could. Now where is my book?"

Both of them looked like deer caught in a bright light, but Sasuke finally arrived at the bridge. He nodded to each of them though the Cyclops didn't pay him much mind.

"Ah! Sasuke-san's here!" the bookworm and dobe announced at the same time and tried to run behind him, but the Cyclops caught them and held them up by the back of their shirts….wait a moment.

Sasuke blinked a few times as he looked at the dobe. He was wearing a muted, burnt orange t-shirt over ninja mesh with black shorts. What the hell? Where was the eye-gouging orange jumpsuit, and why hadn't he noticed earlier? Maybe he hadn't noticed because of the absurdity he had walked in on.

"No you two don't, no hiding behind your teammate."

This was getting old…Sasuke sighed and looked out over the stream, though he heard betrayed yells from the bookworm and dobe. What did they expect him to do? Take on the Jounin? It's their own fault for pissing him off.

Sasuke continued to look down into the slowly moving water and blinked a few times. There was an orange book in the stream, or perhaps it was the reflection. He pointed down at the image and would have said something if he hadn't been ordered not to speak for the next few days so his jaw would heal. He hummed but the Cyclops continued to ignore him in favor of the wide-eyed genin he held up—the man certainly was strong to hold both of them up off the ground like that.

Making a frustrated sound at the back of his throat, Sasuke stomped his foot twice but his teammates began to shake their heads violently. However, whatever they were warning him about came too late for there was a splashing sound.

The Cyclops dropped the two genin and looked over the side of the bridge before giving a screaming and jumping down into it. "Who puts a book in water?!"

"It's the teme's—"

"Naruto-san!"

"Ugh! Sasuke-san was the one who stomped on the plank the book was attached to!" Sasuke just stared ahead of him in a sort of daze, what the hell just happened?! He did what? Please let this all be a dream. His team, the people he was entrusting his life to, could not this ridiculous and-and moronic.

The Cyclops got out of the stream and held up a sodden book, "You two still orchestrated this prank, and since you've all been involved, my book's replacement is coming out of your D-rank pay."

"Sensei!" Sasuke wanted to be yelling right alongside the dobe and bookworm, but he also wanted to curse his "teammates." Now he was being punished for something he had just walked into! He still wasn't sure what exactly had happened.

The bookworm had her arms over her chest as she glared at him, "Fine, but maybe you shouldn't be reading your stupid perverted book when you should be watching us do missions and training!"

It was silent for a few moments before the Cyclops gave that creepy eye-smile of his. "Fine," he said lightly, almost too lightly, "All of you start running."

Like his teammates, Sasuke froze for a moment, at least until the Cyclops withdrew several kunai and held them up threateningly, "I said start running."

With wide eyes, Team 7 began running around their training grounds with their slightly wet sensei running behind them holding kunai at the ready. Sakura looked behind her in disbelief while Naruto huffed and puffed beside her.

"How long are we supposed to be running?!" he whined.

"Until I tell you to stop," their sensei replied and Sakura had a good feeling that it would be a long time until they were allowed to stop running, and the feeling did not come from any visions or warnings.

"Faster!" their sensei called as he threw a kunai at their heels. That got them running!

"Oowah!" Naruto cried, "Kakashi-sensei's so mean!"

"Then perhaps my cute little genin shouldn't try to prank me," Kakashi-sensei's tone was far too chipper as he threw another kunai toward Naruto who pushed himself harder in response. Sasuke was glaring and Sakura wondered what he was thinking and why her stomach _wasn't_ hurting.

It was weird that her stomach wasn't hurting when Sasuke was clearly miffed about something. Her stomach had hurt briefly that morning when she had gone over to Naruto's apartment with some moochi her mother made. She had even wrestled Naruto into his new clothes—which he refused to wear because they might get dirty or torn—through the stabbing pains in her stomach that accompanied an angry Sasuke.

This was an unsettling development, though she had to push herself to keep moving unless she wanted to get hit with those kunai, and their sensei was probably annoyed enough with them to actually do that.

Today was going to be tough, she just knew it.

And she was right. They were forced to run until they couldn't stand up any longer and then their sensei made them do push-ups until they collapsed, and Sakura was forced to keep going as long as her teammates who had ridiculous stamina. She knew Sasuke was cursing Naruto's stamina right along with her as the blonde was forced to continuing doing push-ups as fast as he could while they shakily did their own.

Once their arms were like lead, they were ordered to do crunches and to not stop until Naruto gave in to fatigue. Sakura didn't think she could move ever again. But then their sensei had to speak up.

"What do you three think you're doing?" he asked with his arms folded over his chest and an eye-smile in place, "You have D-ranks to do to pay for my new book."

Sakura groaned alongside her teammates. She just wanted to lay here until her body stopped hurting, but then their sensei ran through a few hand signs and the sky above them began to darken and swirl like a storm was coming. "Up on your feet," he growled at them and the killing intent he sent their way made her jump up despite her aching limbs.

Kakashi gave his genin an eye-smile, while simultaneously letting go of the genjutsu, when they were all up on their feet and glaring at him. Then he smiled to himself all the way to the mission's office, which he made them run to but let them use their chakra for, unlike earlier. His genin were dragging their feet behind them as they moved through the crowded office. The genin's former chuunin instructor looked at them surprised and Kakashi caught Asuma looking at him with his mouth open.

"Oh my goodness! Sasuke-kun, what happened to you!?" a blonde on Asuma's team hurried over to a very annoyed Uchiha.

"Ino-pig, just go away!" Sakura groaned and stumbled over to their former instructor's desk. "Can we have the least physically intensive D-rank?" she begged as she ignored the indignant blonde—likely a Yamanaka—yelling in her ear.

"Ah-ah-ah!" Kakashi waved his finger back and forth and his genin looked up at him in horror, "my cute little genin still need to learn not to mess with me," he gave them all an eye smile, "Is walking the Inuzuka dogs still open?"

"Please Sensei, have mercy!" Naruto was on his knees and practically sobbing into Kakashi's pant leg. Sasuke almost looked like he wanted to join Naruto but instead just leaned against the missions' desk in resignation. Asuma looked on enviously, while his male genin paled and the Yamanaka girl hovered overed Sasuke.

Sakura grabbed onto Kakashi's flak jacket "We've learned our lesson Sensei, please! We won't steal your stupid, perverted books anymore."

"Wait!" Asuma spoke up and Kakashi refrained from grimacing. Sakura just had to say that…damn it. "They stole your _Icha Icha_ books? They must be infiltration experts—that or you've gotten lax in your traps," Asuma joked, laughing slightly.

"But we didn't steal it from Kakashi-sensei's house, I picked one off him," Naruto stated in confusion and Kakashi felt his eye twitch in annoyance as Asuma began to laugh his ass off.

"Has Tora gone missing?" Kakashi asked the chuunin instructor in a level tone.

"Ah…yes," Iruka—he really needed to remember the man's name—replied uncertainly.

"Good, we'll take that after they finish walking the Inuzuka dogs."

His genin seemed to notice the horror that crossed Iruka and the no longer laughing Asuma's faces. "What's Tora?" Sakura asked nervously for her teammates.

Kakashi just eye-smiled and said, "You'll see."

As he was dragging his exhausted genin out of the missions' office, Kakashi heard a lazy voice drawl to Asuma, "Please don't get any ideas from him."

Kakashi laughed to himself for the rest of the day as his poor, cute, little genin were practically dragged off their feet by the Inuzuka dogs and spent hours of searching for Tora the Demon Cat. Being a Jounin instructor wasn't so bad…

Sakura would kill for a vision right now! It was already going on night and they had had no luck finding this cat with the pink bow. Their sensei had seemingly disappeared after making it abundantly clear that Naruto was not allowed to spam the forest or town with his clones—after hundreds had been dispersed they gave up, though she was tempted to have him make some more.

Instead, she was stuck traveling with the mute Sasuke so they could communicate since their sensei hadn't provided them with communicators. She and Naruto agreed to communicate through whistles, though they had had no luck finding this stupid cat.

They'd just have to find their sensei and tell him they couldn't find the cat, or at the very least they could ask for a dinner break before continuing the search. She was tired of crawling through bushes with a practically seething Sasuke—though she still wasn't having stomach pains—and she was ready to faint from hunger.

She heard a whistle from Naruto and she responded so he could find her general location. It didn't take long for the blonde to burst through the underbrush. "Let's go find Sensei, Sakura-nee-I mean Sakura-san!" the blonde laughed sheepishly and Sakura shook her head tiredly. They had agreed to keep calling each other by formal names despite their new brother-sister relationship. It was just good practice anyways, they didn't want to use names that would tell their enemies who they should target to take advantage of their team.

"Yeah, maybe we can have a dinner break," she then looked over at the annoyed Uchiha, "Would you like to find Sensei, Sasuke-san?" she asked and the boy nodded curtly with a scowl on his face.

However, instead of walking toward where their sensei said he would wait for them, Sasuke crouched down with a stick in his hands. "Why did you two have to steal his book" was written into the dirt.

"Neh, Sakura-san, what's that character?" Naruto asked as he cocked his head to the side.

"Steal, Naruto-san," she replied tiredly while Sasuke just dropped his head forward, though she caught his eye twitching. "How many characters do you know?" Sakura asked as she looked over at him.

"Uh…? Well I taught myself what I needed to for the tests."

Sasuke looked up sharply along with her, and he looked like he wanted to say something going off of his incredulous expression, but Sakura spoke in his place, "What do you mean taught yourself? Didn't anyone teach you the characters?"

"Um…no, was someone supposed to? I just figured out what I could on my own from classes and stuff?" Naruto looked genuinely confused and Sakura wondered briefly if the boy's learning had been sabotaged.

Sasuke was glaring at Naruto in annoyance but then he sighed, "You and me," he wrote, "practice reading and writing after group training."

"I'll help too, Naruto-san," she threw her arm over his shoulder and Naruto looked between them in confusion.

"I-Is it bad I don't know too many characters?" Sakura wasn't sure what to say but Sasuke was nodding. She threw him a glare but he ignored her. The jerk! Seriously, whatever had she seen in that guy?

"Ah!" Naruto clutched at his face, "I didn't know that! I'll start learning more characters, 'tebayo!"

Sakura sighed along with the Uchiha, but the boy made a noise at the back of his throat and pointed down at his first written message and tapped it a few times.

"Oh…well," Sakura began but quickly looked away from the annoyed Uchiha, she kept seeing that older, angry Sasuke running at her with electricity in his hand. "Um…" she shuddered slightly at the image, even though she wasn't having any stomach pains today.

"Well he wouldn't put that pervy book down while we did our mission yesterday so we threatened to steal all his books and burn them and then he said he didn't think we could, 'tebayo. So Sakura-san we should steal one to show we can and to teach him a lesson, dattebayo."

"It backfired," Sasuke wrote down and glared at them.

"Well the hiding spot was perfect, and if Kakashi-sensei hadn't been so angry he would have noticed the reflection! 'tebayo!" Naruto nodded his head as he crossed his arms over his chest, as if saying 'that's-that.'

"Naruto-san, you should have used stronger tape," Sakura stated as she patted him on the shoulder, "but it was smart thinking."

"Let's go find Sensei," Sasuke wrote before he stood up and grimaced, likely at his sore muscles. They nodded and began to head to the designated clearing.

"Oh, Naruto-san," Sakura spoke, "I've been meaning to ask," she paused as the blonde gave her his full attention, "when did you come across Sensei. He said last night." Naruto froze and paled a little as he fidgeted around.

"Ah well, eh-haha…umm," Naruto grimaced and began walking faster.

"What?! Naruto-san!" Sakura tried to hurry up her pace to catch up with her honorary little brother. They were now ahead of Sasuke, so she lowered her voice and put an arm around his shoulder, "Come on, I'm your nee-chan. You can tell me."

Naruto looked conflicted, but before he could speak they came upon the clearing Kakashi was waiting for them in…and he was sitting in a tree petting an orange cat wearing a pink bow on its left ear… ... …

"What the hell!?" Naruto shouted, which caused Tora to jump in Kakashi's arms, but the Jounin caught it by the scruff of its neck.

Sakura was shaking in the rage she felt for the eye-smiling man tormenting them. She looked behind her at Sasuke who looked equally pissed.

"Oh, didn't I tell you Tora came walking up to me three hours ago?"

"No, you didn't," she gritted out alongside Naruto.

"Oh well," he said in a far too blasé manner. "Now that you've all come back, we should report in," Kakashi-sensei jumped down from the tree and gave them another eye-smile. He began to walk out of the clearing which his stupefied genin remained gapping at him.

Sasuke crouched down and picked up another stick, "I don't care about the consequences, we are getting even," he scratched out in jerking, angry strokes. Sakura and Naruto nodded with him.

However, Kakashi poked his head back into the clearing, "What are my cute little genin up to?" he asked with an eye-smile.

Sakura glared at her sensei, "Kakashi-sensei should keep walking toward the missions' office," she cracked her knuckles before punching down at the angry scrawled characters and pulverizing the area so no evidence remain, while Sasuke and Naruto began to advance on the Jounin with glares distorting their features.

"Aww, my little genin think they can intimidate me, so cute!" Sakura shared a look with her teammates, and they all nodded. It was so on. They'd get back for this, they would, screw the consequences. They wouldn't destroy his books, those were clearly closed off territory until they could handle the repercussions, but they could find other ways to get back. Oh yes…yes they would get even, and they would be demonstrating brilliant teamwork while doing it.

It seemed Sasuke-san did not appreciate having his time wasted, which was good because neither did she and Naruto.

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**A Suivre**

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**A/N: **So I will seriously not be updating for a while, I wrote this when I was annoyed and offended-if you couldn't tell-and now I need to work on my schoolwork which I have been holding off. Also, anyone interested in Burkian rhetorical theory, I strongly recommend the Ramage book I mentioned in my little essay/explanation. Ramage lays out the theory so well and shows how it's applicable, love it!


	8. Chapter 8: Suspecting Foul-play

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto, it belongs to its writers, animators, and producers. I gain nothing but writing and editing experience from writing this.

**_Summary:_** After waking up from a horrible dream Sakura's life takes a turn for the...well something? She only hopes it will be good and will end better than her dream suggests her life will. The secret family trade is hers to learn, and in the process she will become a stronger kunoichi. Sometimes all it takes is a little wake up call.

**A/N:** This will likely be the last update for a while, coursework and work is getting intense so I will be focusing on that rather than fine tuning what I've written and posting. Also, I recently finished _Trojan Women_ and I really want to make Sakura a Cassandra figure but it's a little too late for that. Ah well….though some of you reviewers are psychic it seems.

Anyways…heads up, this chapter is taking place during the Tora hunt and ended up being more serious than I wanted it to, but I couldn't move it away from there. Thank you to those who have reviewed, and put this story on alert or favorite. Enjoy ~ with love, depressedchildren

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**Chapter Eight: **Suspecting Foul-play

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Kakashi shifted Tora in his arms as he stood before the Haruno household. He was surprised the cat had just walked up to him, though he had heard cats tended to come up to those who were quiet and still, though this was also Tora the Demon Cat so Kakashi was still incredulous that it had really happened; though he shouldn't complain. He had sat there for about an hour with the cat as he let his little genin continue to fruitlessly search for Tora, before he decided now might be a good time to talk to the Haruno family. Besides, his little genin deserved this after ruining his book.

So he left and placed an illusion around the clearing that would make them wander around in circles if they tried to get to the clearing he was supposed to be waiting in. Of course, he also put a few more layers to the genjutsu so that it was not quite so obvious or easy to dispel, though on the off chance his cute little genin did break the genjutsu before he came back, he would have a clone there to greet them.

Kakashi knocked lightly on the door and waited a few moments before a man opened it. Kakashi believed the man's name was Haruno Ayumu and his wife was named Mebuki.

The man looked at Kakashi with wide eyes for a moment before nodding his head in greeting, "Hatake-san, yes?" Kakashi nodded to the man's question and the man opened the door a little wider, "Sakura has told me about you, please come in."

"Haruno-san," Kakashi nodded again and slipped off his shoes as he entered the house.

"Ah, and where might Sakura be? It is getting rather late; we had hoped she might be home by now."

Kakashi eye-smiled though he was a little annoyed with the man; but then, it seemed all civilian parents acted like this man—they were overly worried, protective, and did not understand that their children were now weapons. "Mah, she and her teammates are doing trust exercises right now, though they have a clone supervising them."

"I see…" the man was frowning and did not look very pleased. Kakashi refrained from rolling his eyes; they were just wandering in a forest within the patrol range. There was no danger for them, but civilians didn't seem to realize that or even care. All that seemed to matter to civilian parents was that their child might be in danger.

"Ah, well, please sit down, my wife will make us some tea," The man sat down at the table and regarded the orange cat in Kakashi's arms with a furrowed brow.

Kakashi chuckled slightly, "Mah, I thought I would return this cat to its owner while I visited with you both," Kakashi addressed both Ayumu and Mebuki, who had just brought out tea cups and a box of tealeaves for them. Kakashi deduced she must have heard her husband.

"Oh?" Mebuki asked as she sat down beside her husband, "and where is Sakura?"

"She's building trust with her teammates," Ayumu answered his wife, and both of their faces drew into hard, displeased lines. Kakashi took note of this reaction. Was it about his training methods or was it something about her team? From what Naruto had said the night before, the Haruno family had been welcoming and open to him. Was that just an act to please their only child?

"Hmm…well I hope someone is watching them so she isn't hurt," Mebuki responded with her lips pursed in clear displeasure.

"Ah…yes, I left a clone and there are constantly patrols around that area."

"Oh?" Mebuki asked in a clipped tone, "Well I hope it's a tangible clone that will stop—"

"Mebuki" Ayumu cut his wife off and she huffed before standing up and moving back toward the kitchen. Kakashi kept his face neutral at the exchange though his eye did narrow slightly. Stop what? A demon? So they were just acting with Naruto, tricking him. Well, this would not due.

Kakashi reached out for a teacup and pulled the box toward him. He sniffed it slightly and peered into the box; nothing poisonous, as he had assumed, but old habits die hard. Kakashi then scooped a few leaves into his cup and Ayumu regarded him almost guardedly.

"What is the purpose of this visit?"

"Well, I hoped you and your wife would answer honestly on how you felt about your daughter being on a team with Naruto-kun."

Ayumu smiled fondly, "I believe he will become a great shinobi and possibly a leader someday, perhaps a world hero," his fond, almost far off, smile faded and he looked at Kakashi seriously. "So to answer your question, I am quite content with him being on the team. I will admit I had my reservations at first, but meeting the boy changed things; besides, Sakura has a lot of faith in that boy."

Kakashi heard no lie in the man's voice and he could see genuine fondness in the man's smile and eyes. So Ayumu did not fear Naruto would hurt Sakura, but perhaps Mebuki did? It was then that the kettle began to whistle and the woman he had been thinking about returned.

Kakashi watched as the woman poured cups for all of them, using the same water and tealeaves; which eased Kakashi's mind that there might be poison. Tora was seemingly asleep in his lap while the Harunos got settled in their places.

"Were you two talking about Naruto-kun?" Mebuki asked with a soft smile as she straightened out her apron. "Oh, do you think he'll be joining us for dinner again?" Mebuki asked her husband who hummed. "Well I'll just make extra anyways so Sakura can send him some leftovers," she stated before sipping at her tea.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes slightly, she was being sincere so what had made her so angry? What was she afraid of hurting her daughter?

"So Haruno-san is fine with Naruto-kun being on her daughter's team?" Kakashi asked slowly as he examined the woman's reaction.

Mebuki set her teacup down and frowned slightly, "I admit his…condition gives me pause but Sakura has faith in him and believes he will become a great shinobi." The woman began to smile fondly as she continued to speak, "He is also such a good kid and is very genuine in his promises to protect Sakura."

Kakashi hummed, though he was genuinely confused. "I see…and may I ask what you are afraid will hurt your daughter."

Both Mebuki and Ayumu shut off. Their expressions became hard and their lips were pressed into a thin line. There was a heavy silence for several moments as Kakashi stared both of the civilians down until one of them spoke up.

"Fine," Mebuki broke after almost a full minute of silence. Ayumu looked like he wanted to silence her somehow but she was already speaking, "It's that Uchiha boy."

Ayumu sighed heavily and began to drink his tea while Kakashi just blinked. Sasuke? They were worried about Sasuke hurting Sakura? Well… that was actually a valid fear, but how could they tell he was unstable? Most civilian would be jumping for joy if their child was on a team with Sasuke—if only for a connection with the now diminished Uchiha clan.

"This may seem hard to believe, but we just worry he might…" Ayumu trailed off as he rotated his hand in a circular fashion. "Well, he saw his whole family die, I can't imagine he's very…stable," the man chose his words carefully and he grimaced slightly.

"I have talked with Sasuke-kun to encourage him in opening up to his teammates, and I will be watching him very closely for any signs of…cracking," Kakashi stated seriously and the two parents sighed in relief and gave him appreciative smiles. Kakashi decided he ought to drink some of the tea before it went cold while the parents thanked him.

Mebuki was shaking her head, "You cannot imagine how many times we had to tell Sakura that boy was no good for her," she laughed weakly, "But she's finally come around," she stated with relief.

"Ah, yes, I've been wondering about that? From what I've heard from her chuunin instructor, she was quite…infatuated with Sasuke-kun." Kakashi drank his tea as casually as he could, though he genuinely wondered if they had noticed the peculiar and almost drastic change in her personality.

Ayumu smiled fondly while Mebuki rolled her eyes, "She was obsessed more than infatuated," she shook her head in what seemed to be exasperation.

"But she's woken up to reality, and that is what matters," Ayumu stated as he held onto his wife's hand.

"Ah, what exactly do you mean, Haruno-san, by woken up?" Kakashi asked again as he continued to casually sip his tea. Warning flags had popped up in his head at Ayumu's statement, and now he had to tease out any additional and possibly condemning information.

The man's smile fell and his eyes became hard and guarded, "Simply that she sees the truth in things at last." Perhaps the man was on to Kakashi's suspicions?

"Hmm… and does this seem too sudden?"

This question caused both the Harunos to stiffen. Mebuki's lips were pursed tightly together while Ayumu straightened up in his chair. Kakashi's suspicions seemed nearly confirmed at this point; something far more sinister could very well be happening.

"No," they responded together and Kakashi narrowed his eye slightly. There was no lie but they were being very defensive. This could all be planned, though it was difficult to rig the team placements, one could if he or she knew the system. It could very well be that the Harunos manipulated it with one of their own plants. Ayumu was an immigrant, he could have convinced his wife to join whatever country he was a plant for. In addition, with so many clan children in the last graduation year it could very well be that they manipulated the system and set Sakura in there to gain favor with the future clan heads.

"Mah, I had just wondered for Naruto-kun seems to think Sakura-chan is acting very differently from how she used to," Kakashi continued calmly, so as not to tip the potential infiltrators to his suspicions.

"She's maturing into a young woman, it's bound to happen," Mebuki answered evenly while Ayumu regarded Kakashi with narrowed eyes.

"Well, yes," Kakashi consented as he set down his now empty teacup, "But to change as drastically in demeanor as she had in just a few short days?" Kakashi raised his visible eyebrow, "now that is a little unbelievable," he lowered his voice and would have stood up if not for the sleeping cat in his lap.

"And what are you getting at, Hatake-san," Ayumu leaned forward and actually glared at Kakashi.

Kakashi looked between the two tense parents, "Perhaps you two should come with me to meet an associate of mine."

Mebuki stood up appalled, "What?!"

Ayumu remained in his seat but sighed, "Sit down dear," Mebuki did so hesitantly. "Hatake-san, we are loyal to Konoha and are civilians."

"Yes of course you two are," Kakashi eye-smiled. They had the chakra of civilians but any expert at infiltration could mask it and could act like they have, "but I'm going to have to ask you to come with me. If you are using Haruno Sakura to get close to Naruto-kun or have replaced Sakura-chan with one of your own—"

Mebuki stood up again in protest, "We are not some-some infiltrators!" she flailed her arms about her, "Yes it must seem sudden but we knew Sakura would wake up at some point!"

"Wake up, wake up, that's the phrase you keep using," Kakashi looked at both of them sharply as he leaned forward. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?" A genjutsu on their plant had worn off? Had the original Haruno Sakura been replaced?

Ayumu stood up and slammed his hands on the table, "That she is no longer deluding herself with fantasies of that homicidal Uchiha and what the ninja world is like!"

Kakashi pulled back slightly and glared at them, "Sasuke-kun has not killed anyone." Besides, it was all ninja's duty to kill; however, Kakashi was starting to think that maybe this did not revolve around a civilian misinterpretation of what his child signed up for.

"Yet!" Ayumu snapped as he began to pace around the table, "But what will stop that boy from defecting so he can kill whoever it is he's trying to kill, and what if my baby girl tries to bring him back? What will stop him from driving lightning though her chest?!"

Kakashi jerked back at the imagery the man used, but it confirmed that the man was worried for a valid reason. Kakashi shook his head, though under the table he clenched the fist he driven through Rin. "There is only one technique like that and I assure you, I would not teach it to Sasuke-kun unless I was certain of his loyalty and mental stability."

"You teach him that lightning fist?!" Mebuki shrieked aghast. Why did she sound like he was absolutely going to do that? Why did they sound so certain that Sasuke would betray Konoha, why? And how the _hell _did they know about his own move, a move he invented when he was on Team Minato?! It was an assassination move, there were seldom survivors to tell the tale of the technique.

"How do you two supposed civilians know about the chidori, and why are you so positive Sasuke-kun will defect?" that made both of them freeze up. Kakashi stood up and consequently dropped Tora to the ground, who meowed indignantly but otherwise didn't move—something was very wrong with the cat, perhaps it had gotten into some poison or something? Thoughts of the Demon Cat's behavior aside, Kakashi made a cross hand sign to create two clones. "We will be going now," he ordered as the solid clones grabbed hold of both of them. The Harunos were too frozen in shock to resist, but once they started to move toward the door, Mebuki began to struggle.

"We're just civilians, we're not plotting anything!" she sobbed.

Ayumu's expression was hard but he let the clone guide him, "We must comply. You know how suspicious ninja are," the man sighed as Kakashi and his clones ran through the shunshin technique and ended up at the T& I department.

The chuunin at reception looked up in surprise, "I need a Yamanaka," Kakashi ordered and the man quickly left to retrieve one while stating that Kakashi should wait in cell twenty-two. Mebuki was trembling and sobbing beside the clones while Ayumu kept his head raised though it was clear he was concerned and close to panicking.

They had only just entered the interrogation room when a Yamanaka entered. As the blonde was preparing his technique Ayumu spoke up, "You will not be satisfied until you see for yourself that we are loyal civilians, but I beg of you and the Hokage-sama not to abuse my daughter's gifts or my family."

Kakashi narrowed his gaze at the man, "And what exactly do you mean by that?" Kakashi recalled Sakura explaining her stomach pains were like a bloodline, yet they weren't at the same time.

Ayumu sighed heavily, "All I ask is that you ninja do not exploit my family's gifts," he bowed his head then and said no more while the Yamanaka finished his preparations.

Kakashi supposed he would learn soon enough what the man was talking about, but in the meantime he could stare at them intimidatingly with his clones right behind them.

The Yamanaka had only been in Ayumu's mind for a few minutes before he ended his technique with a gasp. "I must tell Hokage-sama now," he then hurried out of the room. Mebuki gave a loud wail while Ayumu moved to comfort her.

Kakashi and his clones withdrew kunai and watched the "civilians" carefully. For a trained interrogator like Yamanka to just leave so suddenly…it meant something big, but why would he leave without assigning more shinobi to infiltrators? Yes Kakashi could be seen as a Kage-level shinobi but that was still quite a lot wager on his skill alone.

"Oh gods, what are they going to do to our baby?" Mebuki sobbed while Ayumu rubbed her back soothingly. His brow was furrowed and he looked like he wished to cry as well.

"I don't know…" he murmured before he turned to Kakashi, "Please, Hatake-san, please don't let them exploit our baby." What the hell was he talking about?! For all Kakashi knew, his supposed student was really some plant preparing to destroy Konoha from the inside.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?" Kakashi asked slowly as he began to approach them.

Ayumu shook his head sadly, "Please, just please don't let them…You've been her teacher for a few days but I am counting on you to protect her from those who would exploit her visions."

Kakashi literally paused mid-step as he tried to process what the man had said. Visions… visions… "Hallucinogenic or psychic?" even this seemed like a stretch, for they could very well be telling him their daughter was mentally ill.

"Psychic," Ayumu responded in a defeated tone.

Kakashi just nodded his head slowly, right…psychic. Before Kakashi could ask them skeptical questions, Ayumu began speaking once more in desperation, "Please, Hatake-san, don't let Hokage-sama or the council exploit my little girl's gift. It's unpredictable and the future is a very fickle and changing thing."

Kakashi felt doubt begin to turn its head. Both parents were so distraught and certain their daughter would be exploited for her supposed prophetic visions. That was genuine fear and worry, something that could not be faked. Then there were all the little things that had happened that might suggest Sakura was maybe psychic, like how she arrived for team introductions right when he had. Or how she got the purpose of the test—though that could have been deduction—however, what he could not explain away was how she suddenly could only see a monster in her beloved Sasuke's place…Kakashi moved back against the wall of the cell and leaned against it heavily. That last point alone made him pause. From what he gleaned in the earlier conversation, Sakura had had a vision where Sasuke tried to use the chidori against her. How could she know that detail? How could it be coincidence or deduction?

It was then that the Hokage entered with a wide-eyed look. "Haruno-san," he addressed Ayumu who was still soothing his wife, "Why had you not informed us of your family ability when you applied for citizenship."

"Because ninja have exploited my family's gifts in the past," he responded curtly but with a hint of accusation in his voice, "They all want foresight to crush their enemies, but the gift doesn't work like that and the future is not always set. My family has been persecuted because visions did not say what the ninja wanted to hear."

The Hokage hummed and narrowed his gaze at the man speaking up against him, "And how many people know of your family's gift, where are they?"

"My family is constantly traveling, and most people think they are simple tealeaf readers," the Hokage nodded to Ayumui's words. The man continued with his gaze narrowed slightly, "As for where they are? I do not know, they disowned me," the man paused before adding. "and if I did I would not tell you where they are."

"A-ayumu!" Mebuki exclaimed through her tears.

"It is quite alright Haruno-san," the Hokage addressed the distraught wife, "Your husband has all rights to be protective of his family, especially if they distrust and hold no loyalty to ninja," the old man then turned back to Ayumu, "However," he began in a hard, authoritative voice, "any visions that concern the safety of Konoha must be relayed to me immediately, I will trust Kakashi-kun," he nodded to Kakashi as he said this, "to relay any whenever young Sakura has a vision in his company."

Kakashi bowed quickly, though he could not imagine how quickly this impossibility became accepted. Whatever Yamanka had seen in Ayumu's mind must have been definitive and enough to get the Hokage to believe.

Hokage-sama regarded Ayumu again, "Now, has Sakura-chan had any visions that concern Konoha yet?" he asked.

Ayumu nodded his head slowly, "Her first vision…" he began slowly while Mebuki tried to stop crying, "was of her death in a war with plant creatures and dead yet living beings. A disfigured man with one sharingan killed her," he stated shakily and the Hokage narrowed his gaze and hummed as he began to pull out his smoking pipe.

"Dead yet living you said. What other description did she have of them?"

"Completely black eyes," Ayumu's response caused the Hokage to drop the pipe he was filling.

Kakashi looked sharply at his commander and wondered what had shaken him so. Did he really believe what the man said to be true? Couldn't Sakura have false visions, hadn't Ayumu said the future is fickle and changing?

"Edo tensei…" Hokage-sama murmured in horror. He quickly moved toward them, "What else had she said? What of the one-eyed sharingan user?"

Ayumu swallowed thickly as his gaze flickered to Kakashi, "Sakura said that the man who killed her had a sharingan just like Hatake-san has, but don't all sharingan look alike?"

Kakashi looked at the man in disbelief. A sharingan just like his…no…all sharingan looked the same unless it was the second level…which he just refused to use. Kakashi leaned back against the wall. Someone stole Obito's other eye…someone defiled his friend's corpse.

"I see," Hokage-sama stated and rubbed his face tiredly, "Anything else at all about this disfigured man?"

"Sakura did not describe him well, only that he had been wearing a mask but Naruto-kun destroyed it and Hatake-san recognized the man beneath it."

Kakashi jerked his head up and the Hokage looked surprised. "What do you mean I recognized him?" Kakashi nearly shouted and the Hokage was watching him warily.

"She said you recognized him and were very angry," Ayumu's voice trembled slightly and Kakashi turned away and began to breathe heavily. Obito…? No…it couldn't be? That was ridiculous, he saw him die for himself; no, he must know whoever defiled Obito's corpse and he recognized he eye. Yes that was it! That was why he must have been so angry in Sakrua's vision. That was more likely than his best friend not dying in the cave-in and doing whatever this man from the vision did.

Kakashi breathed out slowly and got his emotions under control.

"What are you thinking, Kakashi-kun?" Hokage-sama asked with his eyes narrowed slightly.

"I am thinking that someone took Obito's corpse and stole his eye, and that I know this person somehow."

The Hokage nodded sagely, "Yes, that is the most logical option, and I may have a guess at who would do such a thing," the Hokage sneered before he nodded his head to all of them, "This will be kept between us five," in his voice was a threat and Mebuki swallowed thickly in fear.

Kakashi sighed tiredly as he looked at the Harunos who looked emotionally drained and even a little fearful, "Well, I suppose I should return you both home."

"Yes," Ayumu stood up slowly while Mebuki held onto him tightly, "And…I understand your over-cautiousness," the man said tiredly though there was some bitterness in his voice, "I just hope Sakura will not be exploited because of this."

Kakashi grimaced beneath his mask but just hummed as he used the shunshin to take them home. Tora still lay where it had fallen to the floor, but it looked up at Kakashi in annoyance when they returned. Other than that, the cat continued to laze on the floor. The cat was being pretty docile, that or it was heavily sedated…Kakashi picked it up by the scruff of its neck and sniffed the cat slightly. For a moment, he thought he smelled alcohol. Oh… that explained a few things, it wasn't poison or a sedative that the cat got into, but alcohol. That would be hard to explain to the client…

"I'll go relieve my clone," Kakashi stated as he moved toward the door again. It had been disgusting being in the T & I department without his sandals, but one did not always have the luxury of getting to put their shoes on when handling possible infiltrators especially when it concerned the last Uchiha or the Kyuubi jinchuuriki—and this time it concerned both so the importance was exponentially greater.

As Kakashi straightened, he turned toward the tired family, "I will do my best to make sure her gift is not abused," Kakashi murmured before he left the house. It had been nearly two hours since he left the clearing and they were probably going to start looking for him if they weren't already.

He had just taken off the illusion and dispersed clone when his little genin entered the clearing looking haggard, hungry, and hurting. Ah alliteration, he eye-smiled at them from his place on the tree-limb petting the inebriated cat. Of course they now appeared absolutely angry at him. He eye-smiled even more when Naruto yelled at him, though the yell of course startled the drunken cat from its content nap, ah well.

"Oh, didn't I tell you Tora came walking up to me three hours ago?" Their rage was so funny to watch, especially after the serious matters he had had to deal with today. Sakura was physically shaking in her anger. He chuckled to himself. They deserved it all after trashing his precious book and then the unintentional panic attack he was given from Sakura's vision. He needed this, he needed to distract himself with something light.

"No, you didn't," Sakura gritted out with Naruto.

"Oh well," Kakashi stated in a nonchalant way. "Now that you've all come back, we should report in," he then jumped from the tree and gave them another eye-smile. Tora was still in an alcohol induced daze and he chuckled to himself as he walked out of the clearing his stupefied, cute, little genin were fuming in.

He paused when he didn't hear them following him and so he stuck his head back into the clearing to see that something had likely been written on the ground by Sasuke, since he was the temporary mute and had the stick in his hand, but Kakashi couldn't read it from this angle.

"What are my cute, little genin up to?" he asked with an eye-smile.

Sakura glared at him, "Kakashi-sensei should keep walking toward the missions' office," she cracked her knuckles before punching down at whatever was written, ah, she was erasing the evidence while her teammates advanced toward him with angry glares. It nearly brought a tear to his eye to see their diversionary group tactic.

"Aww, my little genin think they can intimidate me, so cute!" Sakura shared a look with her teammates, and they all nodded. Hmm… now that was suspicious, were his little genin plotting something, perhaps pay back? Oh they were just too cute to think they could get back at him.

He turned around and chuckled a little more to himself. He was certainly in a better mood now and he was all the more certain that someone had stolen Obito's eye. These kids would do him some good, so long as Sasuke did become what the Harunos thought he might. That dampened his mood, but so long as Sasuke could be united with his teammates—like against Kakashi for tormenting them—then perhaps there was hope that he might change, that his future would not be as they all thought.

Hmm…he'd just have to drive them together. He smirked to himself and decided he would have to talk to Izuma and Koetsu about pranks. Ah…soon his genin would work flawlessly in a team against him. He wondered what they might do…

* * *

**A/N: **As mentioned before, the last update was an angry one, but I want to clarify—I do appreciate constructive criticism or feedback because that is good way to improve writing, especially when it is explained and justified. However attacks based on personal taste I can do nothing about and it gives me nothing to work on—other than how to pander to an audience which I already have to do for classes and do not want to do for fun.

That being said, CC is great. If it looks like I don't know a grammatical rule, give me a link and point it out in the writing. If there are character inconsistencies, glaring plot-holes, or logical disconnects, point them out and explain what you mean—because without the explanation, how do we learn to correct and not make those mistakes again? One of my favorite reviewers for my LOTR & Naruto cross-over fic points out all these little "faults" in chapters and I love it because I learn where I'm not being clear and how try to avoid that in the future.

Anyways, hope the chapter was alright, I'm still not completely comfortable with where it went but Kakashi is just too damn suspicious! Thanks ~ love, depressedchildren


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